We’re all about female empowerment this week and we’re delighted to be joined by the founder of the UK’s first eco-friendly period underwear brand. Ruby talks about how she started WUKA to provide sustainable alternatives to traditional menstrual products and to break the stigma surrounding menstruation. Growing up in Nepal, periods were never spoken about and during them, she was separated from her family and stigmatised. Moving to London when she was twenty, founding a cool brand was the last thing on her mind, but it was when she was talking to girls in schools about reusable period products and they all said they thought the idea was tacky, she had an epiphany moment, bought a second-hand sewing machine and, with the help of a YouTube video set about solving the problem herself. Starting small and perfecting the product has been key to her success, but she’s now a B-corp business and is on a mission to end period poverty, as well as tackling the issue of girls dropping out of sports at a grass roots level. A collector of things, Ruby shows us a beautiful blue sari, a sentimental Mulberry bracelet from her husband, as well as her handmade jewellery from Nepal including her gold sun pendant that reflects the incredible energy she puts out into the world. Get her products and find out more at wuka.co.uk

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We’re joined by the internationally bestselling author of Broken Country, (Amazon’s book of the year), an incredible book about a passionate love triangle in set in Dorset in the 50’s and 60’s. Clare tells us about the genesis of the book, the rocky writing process, and what it feels like to ride the wave of international success, and how readers have connected with her themes of first love and long love. She tells us about her research for the book, including learning to milk on a farm and how important the natural world has become to her and how it inspired her main character, Beth. She shows us her talisman, a bust of Peabody that was on her grandfather’s desk. She shows us the miniature cage with an acorn made by Somerset artist, Richard Howell, as well as framed print of the final poem in her book. Having had a surprise renewal of her vows with her husband in Cornwall, Clare shows us a beautiful necklace he gifted her. In an honest chat about her road to success, Clare says her life hack is to not take things too seriously and to remember to be grateful. She says that for her, walking every day in nature without a phone first thing is life-changing. Broken Country is available everywhere in all book formats. Find out more about Clare’s work www.clarelesliehall.com or on insta @clarelesliehall

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