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Breaking Free

Fire Woman - Josephine Reynolds

Ep. 10

My guest this week is a woman who has challenged gender discrimination from a very young age when she questioned why she had to bake cakes and sew at school while the boys got to have fun learning wood and metal work ! She describes herself as the accidental feminist who became the first British female fighter at the age of seventeen back into 1982.

Josephine (Jo) Reynolds has had a life packed with incident and action which she writes about so humorously and eloquently in her book FIRE WOMAN. Her book provides a unique insight into the camaraderie that comes with risking your life on a daily basis and stands as the inspiring true story of an extraordinary young woman who took on what was supposed to be a man's world and won.



Today, we discuss how :


Why Jo seemed destined to become a firefighter (1:10)

How Jo was a rebellious teenager and grew up in Wales (4:00)

Jo applied to join the firefighting service, not realizing she was the first girl to do so until the press turned up! (5:04)

Challenging it was for Jo as a seventeen year old girl training to become a firefighter (8:33)

Jo finally Fittied in after passing her firefighter training and gaining respect of her peers. (18:18)

Jo's first real emergency on the job was a tragic accident that involved one of her closest friends. (21:15)

Jo leaves the service, travels and discovered a new passion (25:40)

Traveling to China and south East Asia lead Jo to find a new passion and purpose (32:40)



Connect with Jo:


https://www.josephine-reynolds.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SamuiJoReynolds/

https://www.facebook.com/FireWomanJo1

https://twitter.com/FireWomanJo1

https://www.instagram.com/fire_woman_josephine/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/atzeropercent/

josephinereynolds815@gmail.com



Let’s connect!


Resources mentioned:


Trailblazing author of FIRE WOMAN my memoir

Inspirational Speaker / Find me https://www.josephine-reynolds.com/


Talent for Westland Horticulture Online Ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCvIm1cii0U


Discussing gender discrimination on The Gap. Thank you LADbible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNVSoNh1QZQ


Founder firewoman.teemill.com Slogan t-shirts for heroines!

 Voted one of EDP Norfolk's 100 most Inspiring Women 2020 


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