Fi Glover presents friends, relatives and strangers in conversation.

This week: student social worker Zara and retired social care manager Anne compare their experiences in foster care and reflect on the importance of belonging; co-admins of the Joy of Socks Facebook group Flora and Matt discuss what the group has meant to members during the past year; sea lover Laura and Royal Navy Commander Dave consider the attraction of life above and below water; and mother and son Julie and Ryan reflect on what they're looking forward to as lockdown eases.

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: Ellie Bury

Fi Glover presents friends, relatives and strangers in conversation.

This week: as hotels open their doors in England, hostel owner Lee and B&B proprietor Catriona discuss how they've weathered the past year; Mel, a solo motherhood coach who chose to have a child using donor sperm, speaks to Demi, a donor conceived adult, about how a child's life is impacted by the decision to conceive in this way; amateur composer Chris and professional conductor Jonathan compare notes on their approaches to music; and introvert Carol and extrovert Alan consider how the pandemic has impacted their attitude towards socialising.

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: Ellie Bury

Fi Glover presents friends, relatives and strangers in conversation.

This week: Abbie, who’s writing her own musical and Lubna, who’s taken a career change from pharmacist to acting, discuss facing stereotypes; Artist Tom who lives alone on the Isle of Lewis talks tech with Callum, an insurance broker in Glasgow, who says he’s relied on having connections made with technology as a life line; strangers Josie and Jessica discuss what life is like living with borderline personality disorder; and landlord Freddy who lives in West Sussex talks tenants rights with Jenni in Belfast who been renting for 6 years.

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: Kerry Devine