The Listening Project

Fi Glover presents three conversations between strangers.

This week: Countryside forager Robin meets urban skip diver Chantelle; Scott and Chris share their passion for playing Santa; and single-Mum Lisa talks to Natalie about the financial hardship she's facing this Christmas and beyond as a result of the pandemic..

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Fi glover presents four conversations between strangers about life in the hospitality industry, two little girls with profound deafness, eco-friendly Christmases and the new Republic of Barbados.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Fi Glover presents four conversations between strangers about homelessness, obesity, career changes and toy shops.

This week: Lorraine and Louise share their stories about homelessness - to coincide with the launch of the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal today; airline industry workers Magdalena and Philip discuss the lasting effect of lockdown on their working lives; India and Rhys exchange experiences of obesity and dramatic weight loss; and Matt and Maggie share their passion for running toy shops.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Fi Glover presents three conversations between friends and strangers.

This week: asylum seekers Shukry and Loraine discuss homelessness and the healing power of art; Gemma and Amanda reflect on their respective relationships and whether marriage has had it’s day; and Mark, a midwife, and Andrew, who runs a bridal shop, exchange thoughts on men working in a woman’s world.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Kofi Smiles presents three conversations between strangers.

This week: teenagers Phyllis and Maya talk about the big passion in their lives – tackling climate change; Fay, who was born into an orthodox Muslim family but is no longer religious, and Haniya, who was raised a Sikh and converted to Islam, share their stories; and Kreena, a mother of four children born with the help of a surrogate, talks to Katie who has twice been a surrogate herself.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Fi Glover presents three powerful men-only conversations between strangers. This week: former soldiers Martin and Jon share their experiences of tours in Afghanistan, and of suffering from PTSD; Jack and Thomas reflect on what modern masculinity has come to mean to them, and the value of being part of a men’s group; and Patrick and Abdul discuss racism in sport in the light of recent revelations at Yorkshire Cricket Club.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Fi Glover presents four conversations between strangers. This week: Michael and Tabassum talk about life in Glasgow and what it’s like to live in the shadow of Cop26; Phil and Niamh share stories from opposite ends of the house share cycle; Cathy and Pricilla talk about their shared passion for Korean pop music and culture; and Bobbie and Derek reflect on being ginger haired and how ‘gingerism’ has dogged them since childhood.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Four conversations between strangers presented by Fi Glover.

This week: Zach and Elly talk about the dark and dangerous phenomenon of spiking women’s drinks in pubs and clubs; Sophie, who is anti cars and private planes and pro public transport, exchanges views with Ed who loves cars and is learning to fly; Lindsay and Abbie share their experiences of living with the painful and debilitating condition endometriosis; and Kim, an American who loves Halloween, talks to Amanda who hates it.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

This week Fi Glover presents four conversations: farmer Martin and wild swimmer Angela exchange views on the causes of pollution in the River Wye; Stella discusses her fear of builders with builder Chris; Alison and Nathan share their heart-breaking stories of being scammed; and husband and wife team Noeleen and Henrik talk about the joys of living and working as professional clowns.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel

Fi Glover presents four conversations between strangers.

This week: two women, Jo and Maggie, on their love of space and space exploration and making a career out of it; Paul and Beth talk tattoos and how he wants even more and she wants rid of hers; Marian who is Irish and Amena who is British Muslim, share their painful stories about the effects of prejudice on their lives; and Dee and Dave wax lyrical about motorbikes with sidecars and life on the road.

The Listening Project is a Radio 4 initiative that offers a snapshot of contemporary Britain in which people across the UK volunteer to have a conversation. The conversations are being gathered across the UK by teams of producers from local and national radio stations who facilitate each encounter. Every conversation lasts up to an hour and is then edited to extract the key moments of connection between the participants. Most of the unedited conversations are being archived by the British Library and used to build up a collection of voices capturing a unique portrait of the UK in this decade of the millennium. You can learn more about The Listening Project by visiting bbc.co.uk/listeningproject

Producer: Mohini Patel