Rickie
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rickiejosen.bsky.social
Rickie
@rickiejosen.bsky.social
FT: Traveller ✈️
PT: Learning & Development Operations in UK charity & social enterprise sectors.
🅱️+
www.rickiejosen.com 🇪🇺
Travel memoir: Lost In Music www.reachupforthesunrise.com
❤️ music, travel, books, coffee & @timmy666.bsky.social
Reposted by Rickie
"Migrants who came to the UK on skilled work visas in 2022-23 will make a net contribution of £47bn to the public finances over their lifetime, according to new estimates from the government’s Migration Advisory Committee."

Not surprising, but some observations (1/n)

www.ft.com/content/10da...
December 11, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Good morning & happy Friday. A rainy start in Birmingham. Dry and sunny this afternoon. 10c.🌧️⛅
This one travelled from Lisbon for the green tree
#ChristmasTree 🎄
December 12, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Reposted by Rickie
Snares are a crime against wildlife, but in England we allow them. Labour made a manifesto commitment to ban them - they need to deliver that. For Wildlife's sake.
December 11, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by Rickie
NEWS: We’re delighted to announce that St Chad’s Church (1956-60) in Rubery, Birmingham, has been Grade II listed following support from C20 Society.

Designed by architect Richard Twentyman, St Chad’s combines Scandinavian simplicity with English tradition in a light-filled and joyful space.
December 11, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Exactly 💚
Number crunching: Individuals arrested within five days for suspected manslaughter after fire apparently related to building materials ripped through seven Hong Kong apartment blocks v individuals arrested over Grenfell

From the new Private Eye, out now.
December 11, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Good morning. Birmingham dry and sunny, 11c.
Green Christmas Tree on the green #ChristmasTree 🎄
December 11, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Prepping for the annual festive drinks with my friends this evening 🎄🎁
December 10, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Good morning. A rainy start in Birmingham, sunshine later. 10c.
#GreenTree 🎄
December 10, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Reposted by Rickie
Can you believe the government’s cycling and walking investment strategy does NOT mention pavement parking?!

Respond to the consultation (which ends midnight 15 December) and highlight this important issue.
actionnetwork.org/letters/help...
Help make cycling and walking the fun and easy options!
In June, Transport Action Network won a historic victory in the Court of Appeal, the most significant case for active travel in English legal history. Following this, the government is consulting on a...
actionnetwork.org
December 9, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Reposted by Rickie
⏳ Less than 24 hours left to double your impact ⏳

Your chance to support fact checking ends soon! Donate now: donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
December 8, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Good morning & happy Monday. Rain and shine in Birmingham, 12c. 🌦️
More from the green #ChristmasTree
December 8, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Book: Here’s the Story: A Memoir by Mary McAleese
An important, insightful and vital read. www.rickiejosen.co.uk/views-and-re...
#BookSky
December 6, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Films seen since the summer:
Jaws - my first time! 7/10
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues - also my first! 7/10
Joyride - it promised more 6/10
One Battle After Another - none of which I cared about 4/10
The Shadow's Edge - thank goodness for Jackie Chan 8/10
www.rickiejosen.co.uk/views-and-re...
December 6, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Good morning & happy Friday. A dry start in Birmingham, rain later. 8c (feels like 4) 🌧️
#ChristmasTree 🎄
December 5, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Good morning. A rainy day in Birmingham 6c. #ChristmasTree 🎄
December 4, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Good morning. A dry and sunny day in Birmingham, 7c. ☀️
#ChristmasTree theme this year is green. Picked up a handful of new baubles while in Lisbon last week 🎄
December 3, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Reposted by Rickie
If anyone fancies seeing a classic of Indian cinema for free (or whatever you can afford)

Screening tomorrow

🎞️ The Big City (1963)
🎟️ Pay as you can (no minimum)
screenb14.eventive.org/schedule/68f...
📆 Wednesday 3rd December
⏰ 7:30pm
🏡 Cuban Embassy
December 2, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Done! 🎁
The Big Give Christmas Challenge is now live. Anything you give from now until 9th December will be doubled 🫶

Make sure your donation has double the impact: donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
December 2, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Good morning and welcome to December. 🎄
The Christmas tree is up and this is the song that I need to hear today
youtu.be/pZiadb3bpOI?...
Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again (1979 Xmas Special)
YouTube video by Symphonyofflowers
youtu.be
December 1, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Reposted by Rickie
Wide open wallets in the West of England, where the combined authority (Weca) paid recruiters almost £1m for an interim officer to fill two top roles over less than two and a half years.

🧵1/4
November 28, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Good morning & happy Friday. Rain due in Birmingham, sunny spells. 10c 🌦️
November 28, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Birmingham’s New Street Station building awareness for #WhiteRibbonDay today giving away lots of helpful goodies
November 27, 2025 at 1:10 PM
What a legacy he left.
"Adolescence and Top Boy actor Ashley Walters, 43, Oscar-nominated director and writer Cornelius Walker, 34, and Michael Bademosi, 41, better known as music producer Tinyman, are other successful names from the estate."
25 years ago, London lost a bright, caring 10-year-old boy to an act of senseless violence.

The Damilola Taylor Trust continues to transform young lives for the better and has turned unimaginable heartbreak into an enduring legacy for young people across our city.
‘Enduring’ legacy of Damilola Taylor hailed 25 years on from killing
Family of tragic Damilola, 10, join forces with Sir Mark Rowley and Sir Sadiq Khan to fight knife crime across London
www.standard.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Good morning. Back to Autumn in Birmingham. Drizzle, 13c. ☁️🌧️
November 27, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Reposted by Rickie
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.

Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise

bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM