Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

kategray

@revkategray.bsky.social

860 followers 1.9K following 210 posts

Activist. Practitioner Pastor. Dr. Theologian. Researching faith partnerships responding to austerity-poverty in the UK & trauma theology. Interest in climate crisis, overcoming exclusion & fascism. #phd #CoventryUni #Manchester #UnitedReformedChurch

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · Aug 15

Excited to be facilitating a workshop Friday at Greenbelt festival at 11.30am at Table (Trussell & United Reformed Church venue) on poverty, stigma and how churches as institutions can become more human. @greenbeltfestival.bsky.social

Poster giving info about a workshop on poverty and stigma at Greenbelt Festival next Friday 11.30am-12.30 at Table.

1 5

Reposted by kategray

Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 1d

Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of the children’s services funding formula halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government grants.

By me, for Politics Home: www.politicshome.com/news/article...

London Councils Face Losing Half Their Share Of Children's Services Funding

Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government gran...

www.politicshome.com

7 94 140

Reposted by kategray

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 1d

News that shocks no one: Carbon offsets do nothing for climate.

Carbon offsets fail to cut global heating due to ‘intractable’ systemic problems, study says

Analysis of 25 years of evidence shows most schemes are poor quality and fail to lower emissions

www.theguardian.com

21 360 910

Reposted by kategray

The Geographical Journal @thegj.bsky.social · 13d

Special Section in The GJ:

'Legacies of Austerity', edited by @smhall.bsky.social & @sanvanlan.bsky.social

This #OpenAccess collection explores how the lens of legacies can be applied to understand austerity's effects in Europe. Available here⬇️

rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1...

A blue tile with a quote from the editorial introduction to the 'Legacies of Austerity' Special Section by S. van Lanen & S.M. Hall (2025): "As political discourse transforms and the period of fierce austerity implementation moves into history, we believe critical geographers should remain attentive to its traces in everyday practices, policy realities and material conditions. To imagine alternative futures, austerity's legacies should not be forgotten".

A blue tile sharing the titles of 8 open access papers within the 'Legacies of Austerity' Special Section:
1) 'Legacies of Austerity: Editorial Introduction' by Sander van Lanen & Sarah Marie Hall
2) 'Family Hubs and the vulnerable care ecologies of child and family welfare in austerity' by Tom Disney et al.
3) 'Relational legacies and relative experiences: Austerity, inequality and access to special educational needs and disability (SEND) support in London, England' by Rosalie Warnock
4) 'Lived experiences of utilities-based indebtedness in Greece: Tracing the afterlives of austerity' by Aliki Koutlou
5) 'Grassroots temporary urbanism as a challenge to the city of austerity? Lessons from a self-organised park in Thessaloniki, Greece' by Matina Kapsali
6) 'De-municipalisation? Legacies of austerity for England's urban parks' by Andrew Smith et al.
7) 'Austerity's afterlives? The case of community asset transfer in the UK' by Neil Turnbull
8) 'Austere futures: From hardship to hope?' by Julie MacLeavy

9 13

Reposted by kategray

News Eye @newseye.bsky.social · 7d

BREAKING: Reports of spontaneous protests erupting in European cities tonight in solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was illegally attacked by Israel an hour ago.

Demonstrations have been seen in Berlin🇩🇪 & Rome🇮🇹 - and these are the current scenes in Brussels🇧🇪 👇

11 680 1.2K

Reposted by kategray

Nix Rust @nixrust.bsky.social · 6d

Kemi Badenoch has vowed to repeal the UK’s Climate Change Act, a move so reckless it demands more scrutiny than polite debate. This matters not just for polar bears or coral reefs, but for our people, our economy, our very future.

#ClimateChange #ClimateEmergency
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Kemi Badenoch vows to repeal Climate Change Act

Tory leader says she would replace it with ‘cheap energy’ strategy, ending decades-long consensus on climate

www.theguardian.com

4 30 67

Reposted by kategray

Warwick History Post-Doc Club @post-doc-club.bsky.social · 9d

Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month

www.jstor.org/action/showL...

41 1.6K 2.6K

Reposted by kategray

Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 9d

The musician, known for his political activism, speaks to Josiah Mortimer about why progressive patriotism isn’t about flags and how the absence of Brexit in political debate worries him

Billy Bragg: ‘My Old Man Used to Say to Me “It’s Not the Skinheads You Want to Worry About, It’s the Skinheads in Suits You Want to Worry About”. That’s Who Reform Are’ – Byline Times Digital / Print Edition

subscribe.bylinetimes.com

4 29 130

Reposted by kategray

Antony Carpen @acarpen.bsky.social · 9d

See also Bragg's book The Progressive Patriot www.hive.co.uk/Product/Bill...

1 1

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 10d

Celebrating a 50 year anniversary of faith communities uniting and acting to offer sanctuary to a teenager and family who the home office tried to deport, marking Black Lives Matter & being and being an inclusive church in Manchester!

Reposted by kategray

Suzan Cee ☀️🌸🦋🪷🍃💙 @schasse60.bsky.social · 10d

#Appreciation #Hope #Inspiration 🌸

1 6 15

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 12d

@urc.org.uk Zoe is a church member of The United Reformed Church, a Commissioner on Manchester Social Housing Commission, part of Wythenshawe Central Network and Dandelion Foodbank Manager - amongst other things!

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 12d

Congratulations to Zoe Marlowe who is now elected as the new Green Party councillor for Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe, Manchester! Prayers for your work for the community from The Dandelion Community- church and community hub. @greenparty.org.uk

Reposted by kategray

Centre for Place Writing @centreplacewriting.bsky.social · 15d

@manmetuni.bsky.social is inviting Expressions of Interest for the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship scheme:

#AcademicSky @leverhulme.ac.uk
www.mmu.ac.uk/research/fel...

Fellowship opportunities

We're committed to the development of early career researchers and support outstanding candidates to apply for externally funded research schemes.

www.mmu.ac.uk

6 6

Reposted by kategray

Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery @naturerecovery.bsky.social · 15d

We're excited to share the fabulous line-up of speakers for our Friday afternoon Nature Seminar Series. Starting next month, you can join online, or in person.

Everyone is welcome, all you have to do is register your place here: bookwhen.com/oxfordbiodiv...

1 3 7

Reposted by kategray

Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 15d

This is NOT just america. This is happening here. Local coverage of it, if you can bear the pop up ads....

www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/2548259...

#UKKidlit #Edusky

22 71 130

Reposted by kategray

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 19d

Membership of the Green Party of England and Wales has 'surged' past 75,000. I'm told there was a huge rise yesterday...

Leader Zack Polanski: "Hitting 75,000 members is more than just a milestone; it’s proof that people are hungry for bold politics...We're only just getting started."

8 86 370

Reposted by kategray

Richard Amm ♿ (Disability & Research) @richamm.bsky.social · 16d

DARK is seeking writing submissions on:

Neurodivergence & Hypermobility Intersections.
Video Games and Disability Representations.
Accessible book summaries for Radical Reading zine.
Poetry & Disability.
Shakespeare and Disability Representation.
Horror & Disability Part II.
Architecture & Disability.
Ancient Greece & Disability
UK Disability Policy summaries.

Disability themed Table Top Game development.
How TTRPG's mechanically conceptualise disability.
Also looking for playtesters for our TTRPG.

Further details provided when joining.
Email Richardamm(at)gmail.com to volunteer.

3 5

Reposted by kategray

f the new york times @fnyt.bsky.social · 16d

Louise Vincent, Addict Who Led Harm Reduction Movement, Dies at 49
f the nyt
gift link

Louise Vincent, Addict Who Led Harm Reduction Movement, Dies at 49

www.nytimes.com

1 2 2

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 15d

She sounds like an amazing woman. As a teen I worked in a needle & syringe exchange within the drugs service in North Wales, liaising with pharmacists. I learnt lots & I would still advocate now for a harm reduction approach which includes people who use drugs. It’s common sense and just.

Reposted by kategray

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 17d

What's wild about this: railing against the social gospel is — I kid you not — a more than *century-long campaign* by conservative evangelicals.

Some theological debates never get old, it seems.

Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 17d

Ben Carson speaking now, unexpectedly railing against the "social gospel."

For the unaware: social gospel movement emerged in the early 20th century, rooted in concern for, among many other things, the poor and opposed to child labor.

A big supporter of the movement: Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

3 36 95

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 17d

An important moment in history

Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 17d

Starmer's letter to Palestinian president Abbas about the recognition of a Palestinian state

1 2

Reposted by kategray

Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · 17d

Proud to contribute frontline testimony to tonight's enraging @itvx.com documentary "The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money".

Boris Johnson's govt squandered £8.7 billion on unusable PPE, while grifters like Michelle Mone made millions.

Tonight, 10.15pm, ITV1.

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

TV tonight: an essential record of the Covid contracts scandal

An investigation into the extent of greed and deception in PPE provision. Plus: weird drama Coldwater goes off the rails. Here’s what to watch this evening

www.theguardian.com

23 490 910

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 18d

Thin Lizzy or Free

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 18d

Thin Lizzy

kategray @revkategray.bsky.social · 19d

Am playing this this weekend with it being her anniversary!