Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

This August Fi Glover launches Generations Apart, a new landmark series for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 which tracks the fortunes of people at two very different stages in their lives – the first Baby Boomers born in 1946 now turning 65, and the "children of the nineties" born in the year the world wide web was invented, now turning 21.

Over the next three years, Fi delves into the lives of individuals from each generation as they redefine what it means to be their age. Traditionally, one generation is entering the workplace, as the other is leaving, however, they now find themselves in very different economic circumstances. The series explores how people are shaped by the era in which they are born, and the similarities and differences between them.

In the first programme on Monday 8 August at 9am, Fi meets a group of people born in 1946. The first "baby boomers" are now turning 65 with many reflecting on where they've got to and what more they'd like to achieve in their lives. The case studies include:

• the Grimsby grandmother who has raised many of her 13 grandchildren;
• the triathlon training couple who are striving to compete on the international stage;
• the Londoner who fears she will lose the roof over her head when she retires from the old people's home she runs and lives in;
• the airline worker who hopes her age won't stand in her way as she attempts to find a new job.

On Tuesday 9 August at 9am, Fi joins those born in 1990 into a very different world to that of the baby boomers. At 21 they face significant challenges, Fi records alongside them as they tackle issues ranging from responsibility to romance. The case studies include:

• the Cambridge graduate with a world of opportunities before her but with difficult financial and career choices now her university days are over;
• a prisoner released after a sentence for violence with his sights set on an apprenticeship scheme and a flat of his own;
• Welsh twins who juggle their wish for greater independence with the security they gain from their close-knit family;
• a singer from London who has surrounded himself with friends able to provide the support his mother couldn't.

This series gives Radio 4 listeners the opportunity to hear what happens as those taking part wrestle with important decisions and choices faced by many at these key milestones in their lives.

Notes to Editors

Follow up programmes to be broadcast yearly (TBC).

As part of the Generations Apart project, Ben Goldacre presents Science: From Cradle To Grave on Tuesday 2 August, 11am, Radio 4, where he explores the past, present and future of longitudinal research.

VW