The BBC’s Listening Project turns seven this month. It offers a window into a gentler, more compassionate Britain
What was it? At first I couldn’t tell. I was listening to the radio on my headphones, and a woman was speaking, in a northern accent, gently, into my right ear,...
We’re on the same wavelength – it’s like she can read my mind
Zahra Jones, 40
Amy and I have known each other for nearly 25 years. We met while working at Habitat in Chester; it felt like meeting a kindred spirit.
We ended up living together because my ex-boyfriend and...
Respondents in England say partners use economic abuse as method of control
Victims of domestic abuse face the choice of their families being plunged into homelessness and poverty, or staying with the abuser, a report has found.
More than two-thirds of survivors of domestic abuse have reported their partners withheld...
Women unable to get refuge place also having to sofa-surf or stay with abuser
Survivors of domestic abuse and their children are being forced to sleep rough as they struggle to find safe accommodation, a report from the leading charity for domestic abuse has said.
Women’s Aid said a survey of...
Secrets in families are rarely a good idea, says Annalisa Barbieri
I have a son, aged 22: J. He was born with physical disabilities and special educational needs. He’s a happy, well-adjusted young man: he’ll never be able to live independently, but he is fairly self-sufficient. His mother and I are divorced,...
Emily, 26, charity worker, and Barry, 24, maths teacher
Barry on Emily
What were you hoping for?A laugh, good conversation and nice food.
First impressions?She needs to work on her French – she picked the wrong dessert.
What did you talk about?London geography, travel, dog borrowing apps and swimming.
Any awkward moments?None.
Good table...
Consciously uncoupling is possible: choose your battles, build a support network and learn to play the long game
It’s not always infidelity that leads a couple to split – sometimes a marriage simply runs out of steam and both sides are better off apart. But when that happens, is...
Before I became a mother, I thought my feminism was a battle fought and won. But having three sons has challenged everything
It’s always the things you think will be a doddle that end up causing most heartache. When I was asked to write about being a feminist and...
I know our friendship is too one-sided, but I cannot bear the thought of being without her. How do I maintain a healthier relationship?
I met my best friend a year and a half ago. She’s fantastic and caring, but I feel I have become too reliant on her...
The first of a new series. Charlie Clark was mourning his father’s death when a friend took him to a gig. ‘I wasn’t in the mood for chatting up girls,’ he says
Charlie Clark, 36, and Kerrie Clark, 34, are both graphic designers in Bristol. They met eight years...