Matthew Hocking

Absolutely glued to the #winterolympics2026
Especially the friendships and support between the nations and competitors which is no more evident than in the #snowboarding community.

The reason why cyclists and pedestrians push back against these types of campaigns is not because we think visibility is bad (I wear hig-viz!), but because it's victim blaming that diverts attention from the real issues: dangerous drivers and poor infrastructure

Two occupational therapists in uniforms walking and chatting in a hospital corridor.

Did you know you can qualify as an occupational therapist through an apprenticeship?

Combining paid work (80%) with learning (20%) through an employer such as the @NHS or a social care service – there's more than one route to OT 🎓

How has work-based learning supported you or your team? 💬

Cheering crowd outside the royal courts of justice! Wow, good news from a British court??! What is this feeling??

3/ Division tears us apart, so c'mon Keir give us a positive vision for our shared future. Recognise how vital immigration has been and is to the UK's shared story and ensure that people who make the UK their home feel part of our society.

Myth vs. Reality: Carthage, A New History Carthage, Rome's most famous rival, was home to legendary figures like Queen Dido and Hannibal. These dramatic tales capture our imagination, but the true story of Carthaginian civilization runs far d...

Want to know more about the real story of ancient Carthage — doing a 4 session deep dive into Carthaginian history starting Feb 27th - come and explore

Britain’s care system promotes modern slavery. A genuinely humane government would reform it | Andrea Egan New proposals that would force poorly paid migrant workers to wait longer for earned settlement are nothing more than an assault on working-class people, says Unison’s general secretary Andrea Egan

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

How to finally go flight-free in 2026: A practical, actionable guide Make this the year you ditch flying and embrace overland travel

Apparently we went from 'fringe to familiar' last year. And if we have anything to do with it, flight-free travel is going to become the norm in no time. www.timeout.com/news/how-to-...

Man Standing by the Pool (2020) by Ugandan artist, Ian Mwesiga (born in 1988).

Oil on canvas

130 x 150 cm

#art #painting #artist #BlueSkyArt

Photo of people cycling indoors in a hall. In the front of the image is a white girl with blonde hair on a red tricycle. To her right is a white woman with dark hair and wearing a high vis orange vest. She is also on a tricycle and is smiling. Next to her is a black man with a blue top and blue flat cap on a tricycle. In the background are a couple of people in high vis vests and some more cyclists.

Looking for something to do this half-term? Then come along to one of our inclusive cycle sessions at the Ladywell Centre in Lewisham.

Open to Disabled people of all ages and impairments, the sessions take place on Fridays at 10:30am, 11:30am or 12:30pm.

Not here in Europe at least…

🌟 Join us for our next free webinar 🌟

🪧 Supporting People to Live Well with Dementia
🗓 Mon 23 Feb 2026 | ⏰ 2–3pm (UK)

Practical tools & insights from Skills for Care, Age UK Salford & Trafford and Beacon.

👉 Register: buff.ly/8UUYpyY

#DementiaCare

🌙 Latest news

The International Longevity Centre explore the importance of good sleep for healthy ageing in a new webinar recording 🛌

Featuring Prof Derk-Jan Dijk on sleep, memory & insights from dementia home monitoring data.

👉 Watch & read more:
buff.ly/YgO2Ufy

#SleepHealth #Dementia

OT is complex, simplifying it is our strength 💚

In the RCOT Elizabeth Casson Memorial Lecture 2026, Sue Parkinson will explore how OTs break down tasks, routines and activities to help manage complexity and sustain what matters.

Anyone with an interest in OT can save a spot https://bit.ly/49Yr1OC

Good spot!
With communities of practice to bridge the theory/practice divide by implementing evidence-based models of practice, standardised tools and manualized interventions I believe occupational therapists have shown that they can do better!

‘It’s the thing I’m most proud of’: the women fighting for trans inclusivity at Hampstead ponds We’ve been supporting the women who fought off a legal threat from Sex Matters. Alice McCool hears their stories

“You can bring your sadness and you can bring your pain, and the pond erases that. And you can harness the collective strength of the women who’ve swum over the years.”

https://goodlawproject.org/s/4be590

Adapted version of classic French cooking: Potatoes Boulanger, Juicy Marbles ‘steak’ with a (could be thicker) Brandy Peppercorn Sauce, best thing I’ve cooked in ages, much better than the photo suggests. #vegancooking

Bookings for this year's Elizabeth Casson memorial lecture are now open.

Online. Free to attend.
RCOT membership not required

www.rcot.co.uk/discover-mem...

Three students walking down a corridor in the School of Health Sciences.

Occupational Therapy (OT) students say they have gained skills and confidence through taking part in the iDOT project, which connects them virtually with fellow OT students across the world.

Read more: www.southampton.ac.uk/healthscienc...

The Welsh Govt are carrying out a consultation on their draft Dementia strategy for Wales covering 2022-36.

We've created a survey to fully understand the challenges, opportunities and showcase the experience of OTs working within this area.

Have your say at communities.rcot.co.uk/topics/49483...

At the time of Mandelson’s appt I wondered whether it was at Trump’s request or to fit with Trump’s character….. the commonality between them is even clearer now.

When you build an unprecedented amount of renewable energy but it gets used to meet new data centre demand instead of replacing fossil fuels

📢 Join our Special Interest Group: Dementia in Prisons

Dementia Community, with Meeting Centres Scotland and Age UK Salford & Trafford, invite colleagues in GP, Psychiatry and criminal justice law to join our SIG.

Register your interest (QR on graphic): buff.ly/9IG81B4

Not usually one to post about my own health tests, but I did below and am happy to report that I don’t have lung cancer 😊.
So limited excuses from now for the downturn in my running times 😬

🌟 Latest News 🌟

Registered nurses wanted for focus groups on opportunities and challenges in adult social care.

Read more here 👉 buff.ly/lFD5FZg

#AdultSocialCare #RegisteredNurses #NursingResearch #DementiaCare #LatestNews

(See thread) This legal ‘grey area’ and quite an inequality which would impact on both parent and infant would be an important issue for @rcotpolicyuk.bsky.social and #occupationaltherapy to look at.
Has this come up before for any #OTs ?

Disabled people have a poverty rate 8 percentage points higher than people with no disability.

🗣️ Hear Lead Analyst @datataha.bsky.social set out some of the additional structural barriers that disabled people face, and why the government must increase their support. 👇

🌟 Latest news 🌟

Following its launch in 2024, Dementia UK is continuing its free online programme Dementia: What Next?. Led by Admiral Nurses, the sessions offer expert guidance for people living with dementia and their families on key questions and next steps.

Read more here:
buff.ly/tY09H3h

Race Equality Week exists to turn awareness into action. 🤝

With this year’s theme #ChangeNeedsAllOfUs, we’re reminded that progress happens when everyone plays a part.

We’re taking part in the 5-Day Challenge, focusing on learning & everyday actions that help build a more inclusive workplace.