Written by written by Harry Venning
Format: MP3

Written by written by Harry Venning
Read by Dramatization
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 128 Kbps
Dramatization

Clare in the Community season

Clare in the Community is a British comic strip in The Guardian newspaper, written by Harry Venning. The title is a pun on care in the community. The strip has been successfully adapted for radio on BBC Radio 4 by Harry Venning and David Ramsden.


Clare is a social worker with all the right jargon who likes to sort out other people's problems while ignoring her own. She is white, middle class and heterosexual - but doesn't like to be reminded of it. She is a control freak but both her personal and professional lives are out of control.

Cast

Clare Barker...... Sally Phillips
Megan Whardby...... Nina Conti
Helen Golightly..... Liza Tarbuck (Gemma Craven Series 1 - 4)
Brian Harris...... Alex Lowe
Ray Bishop...... Richard Lumsden
Irene...... Ellen Thomas (Series 1 - 5)
Simon Burrows...... Andrew Wincott (Series 1 - 5 and 7 - 8, Philip Pope Series 6)
Nali Jakovlivicz "Ramsbottom"...... Nina Conti (from Series 5)
Libby McKenzie...... Sarah Kendall (from Series 6)

Series 01 - (2004)
01 - Babysitter
Clare Barker has entered a caring profession so that she can interfere in other people's lives rather than deal with her own. When her colleague Helen has a date, Clare becomes a baby sitter.

02 - Adoption
Clare is looking forward to new neighbours and has been through their personal belongings. However, their noisy sex life keeps her and Brian awake every night.

03 - Glad to be Ray
Clare doesn't understand why she has never been invited to Ray's flat, especially as everyone else has.

04 - Last Words
Clare is "racked with relief" when her most difficult client, Mrs Crossingham, dies and she is obliged to attend the funeral and console the relatives.

05 - Combat Zone
Its time for the Sparrowhawk Family Centre office Christmas party.

06 - Stage Fright
Brian writes a play that is a barely disguised portrait of his life with Clare and his longing for student Megan.

Series 02 - (2005)
01 - Past Caring
Social worker Clare Barker entered a caring profession so that she can sort out other people's problems rather than deal with her own.

02 - Relax
Brian persuades Clare to take a holiday, but Clare can't switch off. Will the office fall apart without her?

03 - Meet The Press
Clare is delighted to accept an invitation to be interviewed for Women's Hour. But her colleagues are less than delighted that Clare alone will represent social workers. Meanwhile, Brian is having his own problems dealing with a disgruntled drama student.

04 - Brian Come Home
Brian leaves Clare, and Megan eagerly offers her services as a relationship counsellor.

05 - Mean Streets
Clare and the team volunteer for the street count, but helping the homeless isn't the priority.

06 - Doolah's Choice
Megan's baby is due and Helen and Simon's wedding is imminent.

Series 03 - (2006)
01 - Letter From America
Clare and Brian are house hunting.

02 - Merry Christmas, Mrs. Lawrance
Clare is determined to survive Christmas Day with her family.

03 - Brenda's Birthday
Clare is coerced into helping Megan organize her one-year-old daughter's birthday party.

04 - We Need To Talk About Brian
Clare and Brian are about to move into a new home, but when Clare finds something disturbing whilst packing, will she want to move anywhere with Brian?

05 - The Red Cap
Clare has a new student social worker with an army background, which is good as Clare doesn't have time to toughen up trainees.

06 - Claire's Last Stand
Clare and her colleagues are enjoying an easy day at a conference - until Clare's nemesis Peggy turns up and issues a challenge that Clare can't refuse.

Series 04 - (2008)
01 - Mother of All Mothers
Clare's mother piles pressure onto her already faltering relationship with Brian.

02 - A Game of Two Slavs
At couples counselling, Clare and Brian are encouraged to share their interests.

03 - And the Winner Is
Nominations are required for the Social Worker of the Year Award.

04 - Carry On up the Amazon
Clare discovers that Helen's son Gareth is not actually spending his gap year in Borneo.

05 - My Funny Valentine
Brian is amazed that Clare has remembered Valentine's Day and booked a restaurant.

06 - The Long Goodbye
Ray's colleagues celebrate his civil partnership and Brian reassesses his life.

Series 05 - (2009)
01 - Name Calling
There are still plenty of challenges out there for a caring social worker. Or even Clare.

02 - Too Cool for School
Clare manages to make a friend.

03 - Girls on Film
Clare has a new trainee social worker to break in and becomes the subject of a documentary.

04 - It's Good to Talk
An old university friend visits with a confession to make.

05 - Garden Party
Clare organises a petition to keep the Sparrowhawk Family Centre open.

06 - The 1864 Mining Disaster
Clare organises a charity benefit to try to keep the Sparrowhawk Family Centre open.

Series 06 - (2010/2011)
01 - Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire:
Clare is now Acting Team Leader at the Family Centre as Irene has job swapped and whilst Irene is in Melbourne the team here are joined by Libby - an Aussie and a lezzie - and proud to be both.

02 - Luck of the Irish
Clare is delighted to find she has an Irish ancestor.

03 - Some Others Do 'Ave 'Em
Clare is back on the social work frontline as a vomiting bug hits her colleagues. Brian and Nali take baby Thomas out for the day and Helen attends the police liaison meeting.

04 - Clare vs God
Clare doesn't like people on her patch - especially if they're an interfering Vicar.

05 - In The Dog House
Clare is entranced by a dog that follows her into work; Brian less so. However, the dog comes in useful when there's a bump in the night.

06 - The Crush
Clare has a chance meeting at toddler tunes that could change the course of her life.

Series 7 - (2011)
01 - The Prisoner
In today's Big Society there are plenty of challenges out there for an involved, caring social worker. Or even Clare. The shock of Brian's infidelity still hasn't worn off, and Nali could be an even more serious inside threat than Clare realised.

02 - To Kill a Mocking Bird
Clare ends her relationship with Brian and is surprised by her colleagues' reaction to the news.

03 - Rude Girl
Clare feels that she may be out of touch with today's young people's language, while Brian's attempts at a romantic gestures fail to impress.

04 - Debt of Honour
Clare is being plagued by Brian's marriage proposals, her driving lessons lead to an unexpected encounter and there is an unveiling of a piece of public art at the Sparrowhawk Family Centre.

05 - Heroes
Clare meets Bradley Bigg, a pop star who made an impression on her as a teenager, Brian breaks some bad news to Nali, and Helen enthusiastically adopts the role of health and safety officer.

06 - Basic Attraction
It's wedding day at last... once the stags and hens have had their fun, that is.

Series 8 - (2013)
01 - Hot Desk
Clare Barker and her colleagues have to move offices and embrace hot desking. All this while Clare has a new student to wet nurse.

02 - On Expenses
With society collapsing all around her, Clare is appalled to be stuck indoors bean counting. But the Sparrowhawk Family Centre's expenses do not add up.

03 - Fifty Shades of Ray
The Sparrowhawk Family Centre team's anxiety over redundancies is overshadowed when they hear some shattering news concerning Ray.

04 - Nanny State
Brian and Clare are struggling with childcare for their son Thomas, when Clare bumps into their beloved nanny, who they sacked.

05 - The Scapegoat
After an unprofessional mishap at the Sparrowhawk Family Centre, one of the social workers needs to fall on their sword.

06 - The Parent Trap
Clare is relishing the role of acting team leader at the family centre but at home she is not relishing a visit from Brian's mother.



Edinburgh special - (2013)
01 - In Treatment
Clare and Brian decide to try relationship counselling. Recorded in the BBC tent at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013.



Series 09 - (2014)
01 - Stand By Your Man
Clare returns to work after mysteriously fleeing her honeymoon.

02 - In Blog We Trust
Clare becomes convinced that Sparrowhawk Centre is the home of a blogger called `The Secret Social Worker'

03 - Away Day Wey Hey
Clare and the rest of the Sparrowhawk team are forced to take part in a team-building away day, much to Clare's disapproval.

04 - Driven to Extremes
Clare is facing a disciplinary tribunal after a seemingly straightforward job goes awry.

05 - Panic Room
Clare is forced to confront an old phobia after a regular home visit takes an unusual turn. Fortunately, Helen is on hand to help.

06 - Come Dine With Me
Clare finally finds time for romance, while Brian finds a cheap flat comes with unusual conditions and Nali has a memorable first day at her new job.