James

Putting aside my usual optimism for a moment I'd just like to say we are all so totally, totally fucked.

@GAYNORPRICEJON1 @TrooperSnooks @nationaltrust Or more likely it's a Comms person who can do layout and publishing but doesn't know a lot about deer?

@TrooperSnooks @nationaltrust Thank you - the National Trust seems more interested in being woke these days.

Oh really National Trust...very poor.

@SimoninSuffolk St James The Great at Stoke Orchard has some great wall paintings, recently stabilised/interpreted. I remember the Folk of Gloucester museum being interesting too.

I'm off to Worcester, Gloucester and Hereford in a week or so. Apart from the three cathedrals, obviously, what shouldn't I miss in each of the three cities? I won't be exploring outside of them to other places round about, so it's the three cities I'm really interested in. Thanks!

@JoeHellas @aodanhill Or a lack of accessible stone (Essex+ East Anglia)

Distribution of standing stones in the British Isles. Note the absence in south-eastern England and the heavy densities in north-east Scotland, Northern Ireland, south-west Ireland, and Cornwall.

@tc1415 Yes, but does Harry care about that or was he just another mouth trying to stir up distrust and dislike for the third sector with a deliberately oversimplified/misleading take?

It's important to understand what the Bridge House Estates (I despise the title "city bridge foundation") actually are for. Nearly eight centuries ago, someone had the bright idea to establish what we'd now call an endowment to rebuild London Bridge if it fell down. There's a nursery rhyme about that. Over the intervening centuries, Bridge House Estates as it became known ended up being very, very good at this. It's now, depending on how you measure things, one of largest if not the largest charities in the UK (and therefore the world). But the income on its portfolio is only on the order of £50m per annum. So, to take on a project like Hammersmith Bridge as an extra, it would likely have to expend capital. Capital that it's obliged to keep ready incase London Bridge, in particular, but also others it maintains falls down. So, it would be risking its core object to do something frankly central government should have made better provision for a long time ago. Now, why the donations? It transpires the maintenance of its bridges doesn't consume the entirety of its income - incidentally, Bridge House Estates maintains all of its bridges at no cost to the taxpayer, local or national, which is a pretty good deal. So in 1995 it was decided to spend this surplus _of a surplus_ on various London good causes. So, that's why. What should of happened is that when Hammersmith Bridge was built, like when Southwark Bridge was purchased, the Bridge House Estates endowment was augmented and it was transferred to it to maintain. But that needed to happen decades ago, not this week. Tl;Dr Bridge House Estates has been quietly saving the Exchequer money for 750+ years. Also the Bridge Mark is the oldest "logo" in continuous existence.

@JBraybrook2 @RosieP4 @PINSgov Well, I have never been either, though I'm the son of one and married to the other. I don't know why I'm having this argument, but I am, and I guess I just don't see a huge issue with an office based team - of any sector - having a shared Christmas thing.

@p4rus @RosieP4 @PINSgov Not so for teachers! Nor NHS employees!

Astonishing to hear from someone who spent all day yesterday trying to get hold of @PINSgov that they the Inspectorate team was not answering because it was the staff Christmas party. Meanwhile, people who are suffering huge change to their personal and business circumstances are just desperate to have their say.

@JBraybrook2 @RosieP4 @PINSgov Nah. Every work Christmas thing I've ever had (or heard of from friends in every sector) is work time. Vital team bonding time and means people actually turn up. Would never get anything near 90%+ attendance if it was evening - tho such things often follow the late pm meal.

@p4rus @RosieP4 @PINSgov Christmas gatherings shouldn’t be in working hours, should they? Or was this attempt to contact them out of hours?

@RosieP4 @PINSgov Sounds like an admin error or at worst maybe just not considering it important to have a holding message. It's crap, yes. But the implication that they ought not have a Christmas do - cos someone might call - that, I'd challenge.

@p4rus @PINSgov Why would you close down a help line and not even let people know?

@Matedwards7 I always wonder about quite how this happened when I pass to and from my parents' house. I hope there's a story. People like to take trees out for far less than being in the way of a roof...

A carport built around a redwood in Sudbury, Suffolk. #ThicktrunkTuesday #Suffolk

@graham_jaggard @JohnAcid Well only if people withdraw membership! Impossible for charities to maintain outputs in challenging financial situation and yes this irks, but withdrawal of membership just continues situation. Whether they made the *right* cuts is a different discussion.

@p4rus @JohnAcid And depletes income even further James.

I have e-mailed the attached to the CEO of the RSPB following the downgrading of both Radipole and Lodmoor RSPB sites. Please read and retweet if you agree.

@graham_jaggard @JohnAcid I don't know the processes behind rspb decisions, but those two aren't linked like that. They're pleading poverty - as are most charities - cos there's no money and more need than ever. The latter is an impact of the former, a cost saving that impacts delivery.

@p4rus @JohnAcid Makes no sense to plead poverty then cause members to leave.

@JohnAcid @graham_jaggard Your membership fees will be supporting the core costs of whichever organisation you're supporting. Unrestricted income such as memberships is the most valuable income any charity can receive.

@graham_jaggard Other societies are also abandoning sites as and when grant money ceases. We can't be members of every society but it does make me wonder what my money is supporting?

Enjoyed watching a wasp predate this very tattered and poorly flying large white today. Caught it, grounded it, systematically removed the abdomen over the course of a minute then flew off, leaving the butterfly still alive. Albeit not for long.

@TrooperSnooks No, not in detail, unless there's stuff I've not read or interviews I've not seen. But p18 of their "our contract with you" doc has enough to raise concern.

@p4rus We have no idea what they think on farming do we?

At the Game Fair last weekend, I did some on the hoof political polling. It turns out, in the countryside at least, no party is a winner.

@daveatherton Waaah immigrants don't integrate! *Immigrants integrate and undertake domestic tourism* Waaah immigrants are integrating!

A typical scene from an English beach, this time Durdle Door Beach in Dorset. Blankets, picnics, hijabs & burkas.

Seal (grey), Centaury, St Johns Wort (perforate) and Stork's Bill (common), along the path at Horsey Gap today. There was more - but either I didn't have time, to take a picture (selfheal, silverleaf) or it isn't alliterative (tufted and bush vetch, birds foot trefoil).

Sheep's Bit, Sea Holly and Sea Sandwort. Quick snaps from a five minute stroll through some flat, scratty sand dunes in the middle of Great Yarmouth with the kids. Clouds of grasshoppers. Skylarks singing. Surprisingly good, before the rain.

@martgathercole @RICHIEGANNON Ahhh totally missed. He can but try!

@p4rus @RICHIEGANNON It certainly is, Richie's just trying it on😂

For #OwlishMonday 🦉getting in on car park charging 🤑

@RICHIEGANNON @martgathercole Pretty sure that carpark is TDC run and charged by them...

@martgathercole 😲😲😲 Still waiting for my rebate for parking at the Naze while being a fully paid up EWT member. Wont hold my breath. 😡