Sharon Eckman

In today's least surprising news

An important win for nature!👇

The purchasing of independent vets by national chains seems to be the problem - with a business model of hiking up prices to maximise income from insurance. The result is ripped off customers and higher insurance premiums

leaflet like image titled "have your say" above an image of a music stand. Also includes instagram details of equity singers @Equitysingers and equity website: equity.org.uk

Have you worked with BBC Singers as an Ad-Hoc? Have your say!

Equity and the MU will be negotiating an agreement with the BBC covering the minimum terms and conditions of engagement for Ad-Hoc BBC Singers –consultation open now: forms.office.com/e/Xr5WhSHknT

It's also against my law but I have a hot water bottle and a heated blanket. Can you steal them from somewhere?

Nadia from London has an idea that sounds such fun you'll be booking a day out asap. "I've always loved museums," she says, "but they can be overwhelming for children. For decades now, I've done something called 'playing postcards' We do the museum backwards, visiting the gift shop first. Each child gets to choose three postcards. Then they take it in turns to find that particular artwork in the museum and give us a little information about the piece from the details on the postcard, or from any gallery plaque. At the end of this treasure-hunt-style activity, we vote for our favourite in the cafe."

This is such a clever idea on taking kids to museums/galleries
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Aha.

What? What??

Water agreement to allow 21,000 new homes to be built in Sussex An agreement is reached on new guidelines to protect wetlands and wildlife while building homes.

In the Arun Valley, @naturalengland.bsky.social , the Environment Agency & Southern Water worked to find a potential solution that improves water quality & protects wildlife while enabling development.

That’s how good planning works: with nature, not against it. 👇

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Rachel Reeves clears planning blockage amid ‘good relationship’ with developer Exclusive: Chancellor says 20,000 homes were being held up due to ‘some snails that are a protected species or something’

The Chancellor says she 'fixed' a problem caused by “some snails or something”.

Comments like this pit nature against growth – it’s the wrong target.

Here, the system has worked: protecting one of UK’s rarest species while allowing 20,000 homes to proceed.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Likewise. And yes he did very much so and I think you're spot on with abandoned. It felt as though everything aligned with this one.

Thank you so much for posting this - just listened to Reconciliation and every note came back as though we recorded it yesterday instead of (oh my god) 30-odd years ago. Wasn't a great fan of his conducting but every so often he came up with something like this 🙏

Yup ❤️

It's an astonishing piece. Recorded it with the LSO when I sang with the London Symphony Chorus and could have happily done multiple takes.

Quite hard to tell the difference between floaters following a PVD and a house spider... (it was a house spider).

"15 years ago, Polish workers came here to find opportunity. Now Poland is growing twice as fast as we are," says Kemi Badenoch.

Any ideas what may have happened in the interim?

A scenic view of a National Park landscape with a winding stone path leading through green hills and valleys under soft sunlight. In the centre of the image, bold black text on a red-and-black hazard-striped background reads: “DON’T WEAKEN NATIONAL PARK PROTECTIONS.” Below it, in white text, is the hashtag “#NationalParksMatter.”

Our National Parks are at risk. ⚠️

From the rugged Lakes to the sweeping South Downs, these landscapes define us and our future. They sustain wildlife, communities and our wellbeing - and they must be protected.

A future that puts them at risk isn't what anyone voted for.

Yeah but it's not an industry (along with all the other creative industries) for real salt of the earth men is it? And therefore can be sneered at and mocked. Although of course AI is just fine....

I cannot understand what these people think the purpose of human life is?

It is *not* "pursue joy, deal justly, love well, try to understand as much and see as much of this beautiful world and of the deepness, richness and variety of human culture and experience as you can before you die"?

Rachel Reeves clears planning blockage amid ‘good relationship’ with developer Exclusive: Chancellor says 20,000 homes were being held up due to ‘some snails that are a protected species or something’

We always knew that Labour cares about little else other than keeping private developers happy.

But here's proof showing off to JP Morgan despite destruction of some of the "rarest creatures in our country."

Let's make that description Labour votes.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Trump Signs Order to Approve Mining Road Through Alaskan Wilderness

"This order is so atrocious, it’s nearly unbelievable."

Absolutely - it's what makes it endlessly joyous and so easy to rewatch and sink into it. Fabulous programme.

Ah noooo. What an actor

I've just ordered Margo's book from cheapie indie site! Yay!

But also MH issues I think. And it seems from reading around that the entire family had a drink problem.

Omg Margo wrote a book?? I'm so checking that out. Leslie makes me so sad though.

Whoah. Nor indeed any of his wives or girlfriends IRL. After reading My Family.... I was keen to try Larry's writing. Got 2 chapters into the Alexandria Quarter and gave up.

I'm really sorry. I hope you feel much better soon. And no it isn't but how fortunate too that Josh O'C in no way resembles the real and far less endearing Larry....

Oh mate have you got bastard Covid again??? Don't worry he does return.

Peanut butter, sourdough, butter, cheese (mature cheddar), bramble jam, cucumber and tomatoes. That's only 7 I know but oh the multitude of deliciousness they can create