Caroline Coster

I'm a former ICU patient as a consequence of Covid-pneumonia which triggered #sepsis.I became a quadruple amputee as a result.I'm grateful to have had three Covid vaccinations;I'd rather avoid another episode of Covid for me or those around me & I can't spare any more body parts.

New footbridge for Harlington THAT ISN'T ACCESSIBLE! What are Network Rail doing installing a footbridge that is designed to last for 120 years that isn't accessible?!?! I'm lost for words!

@tintinuk_orig @novaramedia Nope - this wasn’t mentioned in any pre election stuff and is at odds with the labour ethos. But I won’t be trusting them again.

@novaramedia @ccquad Getting what she voted for eh

"I've voted Labour all my life, and I feel really let down." Caroline Coster @ccquad spoke to Novara Media at yesterday's #WelfareNotWarfare protest against Labour’s Spring Statement and disability benefits cuts, organised by DPAC.

Yea because you @AngelaRayner and @UKLabour really seem to have the best interests of me and those that need support the most. 👀🙄🤷🏻‍♂️

I’ve known I was called to priesthood since I was a child. It took me decades to answer that call, largely because I didn’t see anyone who looked like me in church leadership. It just didn’t seem to be a place where wounded healers were welcome - so very, very, white middle class male. And ++Justin’s speech in the HoL just confirmed that. I do feel slightly sorry for his diary secretary, but I hope that individual won’t mind that they come quite some way down in my pity list. Because to be honest, the people I feel sorry for are the victims and survivors of a serial sadist, who abused young men spiritually, physically, and sexually. Those who are watching the ABC minimise their pain, and those who died without seeing justice. Those who were barely mentioned in that little speech. After that, I’m sorry for all the victims and survivors of abuse, who cling on to church because Jesus is beauty, but who are let down again and again and again by his followers. I’m sorry for those who can’t see God because of the evil that has been placed in the way. I’m sorry for the clergy and ministers who cling on with a vision of what the church could and should be, and who increasingly find themselves questioning how long they can be part of this institution. Then, just then, I might find some pity for the diary secretary. I joined the church because in the middle of my own abuse, someone shared with me a vision of who God thought I was, beloved, accepted, belonging. The leader of my church just trivialised that in one of the highest institutions of our land. I’m not going to lie. Feeling a bit broken today.

Still here (sort of) but also now on Bluesky @ccquad.bsky.social if I've missed following anyone from here over there!

@EyesShutTeacher oh and i am 62

@EyesShutTeacher Me! i’ve collected them for 50+ years and have most in unabridged form

OK so who remembers Elinor M Brent-Dyer’s Chalet School books and how old are you? I’ve been drawing blank looks this week 👵

@J1mb0wW @JackDunc1 Apologised. That apology doesn’t take away the hurt she caused and doesn’t make the things she said OK. Equally, the things she said doesn’t make it OK for you to hurt others at a difficult time for them.

@J1mb0wW @JackDunc1 I wasn’t following her till recently but regularly call out unkind comments no matter what the source and whoever the target. I wasn’t aware of her previous unpleasant comments until your post and my understanding, after researching, is that she admitted they were hurtful and 1/2

Thinking about Janey Godley and i'm now thankful this wasn't one of the last things she saw.

@J1mb0wW @JackDunc1 That’s a deeply unpleasant comment. I hope it isn’t seen by those who loved Janey. No matter how much she may have upset you, I can’t believe it justifies upsetting another person who is already hurting due to their loss.

@JackDunc1 Proabably better than the fire thats surrounding her right now.

For the rail industry to be confident that its safety culture doesn't take second place to reputational culture, he needs to make an unequivocal apology for his letter and for having me removed from my job.

Here's my statement on today's non-apology from @LordPeterHendy: theguardian.com/business/2024/… Hendy is only apologising for the tone of his letter - nothing on his subsequent threats by email - to calm the anger of a supply chain he was seemingly willing to threaten and cajole.

@LondonLive Are suppliers just supposed to accept a "my bad lol" here and remain confident in a fair tender process? I think this goes beyond issues of "tone", personally...

@SwailesRuth My eldest daughter Eleanor would have been stumped (but was reading well before starting school without standard phonics teaching).

So, I’ve just heard of an SLT that’s saying children can’t write their names because they haven’t been taught all the sounds yet. Make this madness stop!!! I spent my entire career in the classroom telling children to write their name on their work otherwise it would end up

@adamfare1996 Exactly. I mean, my amputated hands and feet aren't going to grow back because I'm no salamander. And before anyone mentions transplants, transplanted limbs do not function like original ones. Nor do prosthetics.

Just like stars, your light is most visible when the world around you feels darkest.That’s where "Shine On" comes from. It’s a mantra for anyone who’s faced setbacks, loss, fear, or uncertainty and still decided to get back up, to keep pushing forward.

@Christiane @EastMidRailway @SarahLouise_146 Some staff do assist - whether or not they should officially do so. I've twice been rescued when arriving at St P by EMR train staff and boarded once by a member of gateline staff when assistance staff didn't arrive. Mix of booked and unbooked.

@ccquad @EastMidRailway @SarahLouise_146 It’s such a badly managed station. EMR should do the assistance themselves. That would create accountability not staff standing around waiting for Network Rail.

OMG what a chaos in STP again. Armies of @EastMidRailway staff, nobody able or willing to put a ramp on a train. Network Rail late. Boarded very late, wheelchair space by then full of luggage. I guided a blind woman I didn’t even know because assistance a no show until 5 minutes before departure. Asked people to move their luggage out of the wheelchair space, half didn’t, so I moved it myself. Proper first class experience. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

@Christiane @EastMidRailway @SarahLouise_146 That's exactly my experience at St P. Makes no difference whether I book or not; assistance is purely down to who is on duty and their willingness to ensure I get on a train safely (or not). There are some fab staff and some ... not so fab!

@EastMidRailway @SarahLouise_146 The experience was exactly as I hadn’t booked. And your staff wasn’t busy. They just thought it’s not their job.