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Dean Riddick-McGregor

@riddickmcgregor.uk.bsky.social

Work in the charity sector, previously Local Gov. Live in Kent, originally from Scotland. πŸ“ Rochester, Kent

398 Followers  |  1,641 Following  |  57 Posts  |  Joined: 25.10.2023  |  1.8798

Latest posts by riddickmcgregor.uk on Bluesky

Tawny owl

Tawny owl

Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.

After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking β€œSo when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧡

05.10.2025 09:12 β€” πŸ‘ 8938    πŸ” 2067    πŸ’¬ 239    πŸ“Œ 368
Earth, Wind & Fire - September (Official HD Video)
YouTube video by EarthWindandFireVEVO Earth, Wind & Fire - September (Official HD Video)

Almost forgot!

21.09.2025 14:35 β€” πŸ‘ 38    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
NHS
Northumbria Healthcare
NHS Foundation Trust
Government Emergency Alerts
and Domestic Abuse
On the 7 September 2025 at 3pm, the government will be testing
the emergency alert system to activate phones and tablets with a
loud alert. If you have one hidden from an abusive partner, switch
it off.
It will alert even if it's on silent or disconnected
from data and wifi.
How to opt out of emergency alerts:
!
Android
Β· Open the settings app
Β· Search 'emergency alerts'
Β· Select emergency alerts and from here you
can turn them off
. Tap the toggles on the right. If they are grey,
this means they are switched off.
iPhone
Β· Open the settings app
Β· Tap on notifications
. Scroll to the bottom of the page. There'll be an emergency alert section
. Tap the toggles on the right. If they are grey, this means they are
switched off
@northumbrianhs

NHS Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Government Emergency Alerts and Domestic Abuse On the 7 September 2025 at 3pm, the government will be testing the emergency alert system to activate phones and tablets with a loud alert. If you have one hidden from an abusive partner, switch it off. It will alert even if it's on silent or disconnected from data and wifi. How to opt out of emergency alerts: ! Android Β· Open the settings app Β· Search 'emergency alerts' Β· Select emergency alerts and from here you can turn them off . Tap the toggles on the right. If they are grey, this means they are switched off. iPhone Β· Open the settings app Β· Tap on notifications . Scroll to the bottom of the page. There'll be an emergency alert section . Tap the toggles on the right. If they are grey, this means they are switched off @northumbrianhs

This might be important to some people

05.09.2025 09:23 β€” πŸ‘ 767    πŸ” 800    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 17

In English, if something is suspicious or amiss you could say either β€œI smell a rat” or β€œsomething’s rotten in the state of Denmark.” In Denmark, however, you could say der er ugler i mosen. It means β€œthere are owls in the bog.”

04.08.2025 16:37 β€” πŸ‘ 130    πŸ” 17    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 3
A Labrador sitting in a chair, looking out of the window

A Labrador sitting in a chair, looking out of the window

Contemplating life's mysteries

01.08.2025 11:09 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Happy World Rain Day! It’s raining…

– Cats and dogs (English)
– Old ladies and sticks (Welsh)
– Like a pissing cow (French)
– As from Esteri’s ass (Finnish)
– Penguins headfirst (Uruguayan Spanish)
– Pilot whales (Faroese)
– Chair legs (Greek)
– Wheelbarrows (Czech)
– Men (hallelujah)

29.07.2025 09:17 β€” πŸ‘ 1657    πŸ” 415    πŸ’¬ 110    πŸ“Œ 60
Elgol Slip, Isle of Skye. One from a over a decade ago, a long exposure, taken just as a heavy front of thick cloud began to dominate the sky, bringing fierce wind and driving rain in its wake. Good times ;) #Scotland #IsleofSkye #Highlands www.damianshields.com

Elgol Slip, Isle of Skye. One from a over a decade ago, a long exposure, taken just as a heavy front of thick cloud began to dominate the sky, bringing fierce wind and driving rain in its wake. Good times ;) #Scotland #IsleofSkye #Highlands www.damianshields.com

Elgol Slip, Isle of Skye. One from a over a decade ago, a long exposure, taken just as a heavy front of thick cloud began to dominate the sky, bringing fierce wind and driving rain in its wake. Good times ;) #Scotland #IsleofSkye #Highlands www.damianshields.com

07.06.2025 10:21 β€” πŸ‘ 248    πŸ” 22    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 4
b/w photo of Maurice Wilson standing up in the cockpit of a small old aeroplane, in front of a hangar, waving at the camera

b/w photo of Maurice Wilson standing up in the cockpit of a small old aeroplane, in front of a hangar, waving at the camera

Today is the 91st anniversary of the last diary entry of the first man who tried to climb Everest solo. Mind you, his plan had been to crash land a plane 14,000 feet up and then stroll the rest of the way, so perhaps he wasn’t destined to succeed

31.05.2025 08:16 β€” πŸ‘ 262    πŸ” 95    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 28
A set of eight rectangular cookies arranged on a square white plate against a dark wooden background. Each cookie is inspired by a wallpaper design by Morris & Co. The patterns represented feature different floral and leaf shapes in shades of baby blue, soft pink, leafy green, mustard yellow, cream, and dark grey.

A set of eight rectangular cookies arranged on a square white plate against a dark wooden background. Each cookie is inspired by a wallpaper design by Morris & Co. The patterns represented feature different floral and leaf shapes in shades of baby blue, soft pink, leafy green, mustard yellow, cream, and dark grey.

Today is National Biscuit Day, and it’s about time that I populated this account with biscuit (cookie) sets from the past few years. Here are some of my favourites. 🧡

First up, a set inspired by the delicious designs of William Morris and John Henry Dearle.

29.05.2025 07:04 β€” πŸ‘ 8494    πŸ” 1901    πŸ’¬ 343    πŸ“Œ 533
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by Rick Astley Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)

Wow: after 15 years, YouTube has taken down the original 'Rick Roll' video due to a "licensing issue," likely due to the acquisition of Astley's record lable.

The metadata remains, but if you click through it goes to 'video not found':

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4...

19.05.2025 18:45 β€” πŸ‘ 5691    πŸ” 2718    πŸ’¬ 505    πŸ“Œ 812
Chart showing share of American babies called Lazarus

Chart showing share of American babies called Lazarus

Quite a comeback
www.economist.com/interactive/...

26.03.2025 10:09 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Dense star field. Near center of the image is a long, vertical hourglass structure with ropes of ejected material in red and pink. The center of the hourglass is bright orange.

Dense star field. Near center of the image is a long, vertical hourglass structure with ropes of ejected material in red and pink. The center of the hourglass is bright orange.

Wake up nerds, new JWST image! ✨

Two actively-forming stars (protostars) emit dazzling jets of twisting material. Millions of years from now when this dance is over, there will be two stars similar to our Sun that might even form planets of their own.

πŸ“Έ: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI

07.03.2025 17:53 β€” πŸ‘ 579    πŸ” 73    πŸ’¬ 10    πŸ“Œ 4
Post image

"See it, say it, sorted."

28.02.2025 08:41 β€” πŸ‘ 119    πŸ” 15    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 6
IBP Summer Internship Scheme 2025 - Candidates' information

Inside Housing is offering a four-week paid internship as part of the IBP programme which is particularly focused on people from underrepresented backgrounds in journalism. More info on how to apply here: releasd.com/pages/5-XG9l... There are also placements at other publications and comms agencies

28.02.2025 09:44 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Screenshotting this *just in case*

28.02.2025 07:23 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Far away in time?

18.02.2025 18:45 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Hive mind - Madeline needs you!

17.02.2025 13:40 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Please enjoy this delightful headline and byline combo
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

05.02.2025 16:15 β€” πŸ‘ 98    πŸ” 25    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 1

Has 'slapping' always been the preferred method for tariff imposition?

02.02.2025 10:23 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 0

My laptop says I should plug in or "find an alternative power source". That's 20 or 30 years of developmental research for me, then.

31.01.2025 17:54 β€” πŸ‘ 92    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

I *may* have muted "#TOTP" on here...

31.01.2025 19:17 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

On #HolocaustMemorialDay, a reminder that there is now an almost comprehensive database of Kindertransport refugees.

If you think your family has a connection, you can find details on how to investigate it here

27.01.2025 15:23 β€” πŸ‘ 45    πŸ” 29    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Look, I am sorry to make this joke but it is also true. There is a LOT to see in Barnard Castle

26.01.2025 21:47 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 0
Cat wearing a tartan scarf and hat

Cat wearing a tartan scarf and hat

Wishing a happy Burns Night to all my friends around the world celebrating the immortal bard #BurnsNight

25.01.2025 12:03 β€” πŸ‘ 3269    πŸ” 324    πŸ’¬ 44    πŸ“Œ 17
Post image Post image Post image Post image

ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS was released 64 years ago today. One of Disney Animation Studios’ most famous, enduring, and beloved films, the making of story is almost as shocking as Cruella de Vil…

1/34

25.01.2025 11:11 β€” πŸ‘ 151    πŸ” 34    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 5
Post image

It took me more than 4 years to capture a scene I could only dream of. A magnificent Condor soars above the peaks of Argentina's Mount Fitz Roy, as they are spot lit in beautiful morning light. πŸͺΆ

#bluesky #photography #landscape #birds #nature
#landscapephotography #naturephotography #travel #scape

23.01.2025 12:46 β€” πŸ‘ 27681    πŸ” 2009    πŸ’¬ 857    πŸ“Œ 122
Historical document titled "Geheime Reichssache," dated from 1942, listing German officials and departments involved in a conference on the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" held in Berlin. The document is typewritten with numbered points and official stamps.

Historical document titled "Geheime Reichssache," dated from 1942, listing German officials and departments involved in a conference on the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" held in Berlin. The document is typewritten with numbered points and official stamps.

20 January 1942 | A meeting was held in a villa in Berlin-Wannsee to discuss logistics and legal aspects of the operation of the extermination of Jews. This is the first page of the #Wannsee conference protocol. Find documents here: https://buff.ly/3WpxY4e

20.01.2025 10:00 β€” πŸ‘ 599    πŸ” 229    πŸ’¬ 22    πŸ“Œ 27

I believe as a feminist investigative journalist, it's vital to promote and support women's work, so I finally got around to making this starter pack. go.bsky.app/RaopwNN

20.01.2025 09:51 β€” πŸ‘ 395    πŸ” 137    πŸ’¬ 33    πŸ“Œ 8
False colour JWST NIRCam image of a nearby star forming region in front of a deep back ground of colorful galaxies. NASA, ESA, CSA, K. McQuinn (STScI), J. DePasquale (STScI)

False colour JWST NIRCam image of a nearby star forming region in front of a deep back ground of colorful galaxies. NASA, ESA, CSA, K. McQuinn (STScI), J. DePasquale (STScI)

Oh come ON now. This new JWST image is just ASTOUNDING.

I feel like I’m falling looking into it, and that I would fall forever, and that I would enjoy it.

NASA, ESA, CSA, K. McQuinn (STScI), J. DePasquale (STScI)

17.01.2025 15:36 β€” πŸ‘ 2521    πŸ” 710    πŸ’¬ 60    πŸ“Œ 97
Picture showing Kang and Kodos, the two aliens from the cartoon The Simpsons, in their spaceship.

Picture showing Kang and Kodos, the two aliens from the cartoon The Simpsons, in their spaceship.

Made me think of this!

16.01.2025 08:37 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@riddickmcgregor.uk is following 20 prominent accounts