Locksley

We are a friendly, open-minded practice whose work is inspired by people, context and light.

[Sama Hoole @SamaHoole]

Criminals dumped 200 tonnes of rubbish on an 80-year-old farmer's field in Hertfordshire, and the law sent him the bill.

40 lorryloads over 3 nights from 7 June last year, on a field edge near St Albans that he had put into a government scheme to grow seed for wild birds. Roofing sheets, bathroom fittings, house clearances, medical waste, and sheets of what looked like asbestos. He had just lost his wife. He would not give the papers his name because the people who did it know where the field is.

The council could not find them. So it wrote to him, because it could find him, and told him that if the waste was not cleared he would be prosecuted. The same rule runs in every county, and it is written on https://t.co/mZowZJE09X: waste dumped on your land is yours to remove, at your cost, and the Environment Agency will not touch a tip that size.

The quotes came back at £40,000 to £50,000. He said, plainly, that he did not have it.

In England there were 1,152,617 fly-tipping incidents in 2024. 1,598 ended in a prosecution. About 1 in 700. The criminals vanish. The man with the deeds is in the phone book.

Then a 31-year-old called Archie Ford, with no farm and no reason, read the story and opened a fundraising page. £30,000 came in the first day from nearly 1,000 people. £50,000 in 3 days. Almost 2,000 donors in the end. In March he drove out to meet the farmer, and by June the field was clear and the money left over was set aside for the next victim, because there will be one.

This week is Rural Crime Action Week and the NFU has put his case back on the table, because nothing in the rule that produced it has moved.

2,000 strangers understood in a day what the statute book has not understood in 36 years of the Environmental Protection Act.

A field is not a crime scene you have to pay to attend.

[Dogs On The Streets @dotslondon]

🚨 PLEASE HELP US KEEP GOING 🚨

I need to be completely honest with you.
Dogs on the Streets is struggling financially.
The number of people and dogs needing our help has become overwhelming.
Every day, another desperate call comes in. Veterinary care. Foster care. Food. Emergency support. And sometimes, simply being there for someone who has nobody else.

I just cannot turn them away.
But the reality is that we cannot continue without financial support.
I am a director of this charity and take zero pay. I am a volunteer, just like so many others who give their time because they care.

We don't have a fancy PR team. We don't have paid promoters. We don't have big corporate backing.
We are simply people trying to help people and their dogs through some incredibly difficult circumstances.
And I am exhausted — mentally and physically.

Tomorrow I am having scans and tests because of health issues that have started to arise. I know I need to look after myself, but when that phone rings and someone desperately needs help, I struggle to walk away.
How do you tell someone who has lost everything that we can't help because the money has run out?

I don't want that to happen.

We currently believe we have around TWO MONTHS financially to continue providing the level of support that is desperately needed.
So today, I am asking you — please help us.
🙏 If you can donate, no matter how small, please do.
🐾 If you can't donate, please share this post.
❤️ If you've ever believed in what Dogs on the Streets stands for, please stand with us now.

Your donation could help provide veterinary treatment.
It could help keep a dog safely with the person they love.
It could help feed someone who is struggling.
Or it could simply mean that when someone reaches the end of their tether and picks up the phone, there is still someone there to answer.

We need you.
Please don't let us have to say, "I'm sorry, we can't help."
Donate here:

https://t.co/EgvWWRSQtK

Every pound. Every share. Every act of kindness makes a difference.
Thank you for standing beside us. 🧡

Michelle xxx

[Locksley @LocksleyGardens]

@FulhamLillies @RyanSessegnon @_StevenSess For the FFC Stuttgart friendly our chums next to us for over 20y brought their kids and grandkids. The baby had to pay for a seat despite not yet being able to sit. Absolutely ridiculous. These are the next generation of fans.

[Locksley @LocksleyGardens]

@ethxn2703 Just so long as we don’t lose 🙏

[Locksley @LocksleyGardens]

@Miss_Snuffy You are a credit to us all who only want the best for our kids. The complainers need to take a long hard look at themselves. Kids just want to succeed and make their parents proud.

[Allison Pearson @AllisonPearson]

Paywall is lifted on my ⁦@Telegraph⁩ child-rape gangs column. Free to read now.
One of the most important things I’ve ever written. Definitely the most devastating. I hope as many as possible read it. Pls share: https://t.co/pc0xTlUWy9

[Paul Rees. ex Rucksack. @HannahIamthest1]

I wasn’t there, however this guy was:

"I’d like to put the record straight, because I was there.

People often forget how the Argentine troops were treated after the Falklands War. We treated their wounded, and many would not have survived without the medical care they received. They were fed, and their officers were even allowed to keep their sidearms for their own safety.

After facing each other in battle, that wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do.

They were fed, cared for, and many were transported home on Canberra. We also cleaned up the mess that had been left behind. There was no complaining—we just got on with the job.

Many of the Argentine troops were exhausted and relieved to be going home after experiencing the reality of war. They were defeated and demoralised, and many couldn’t even look you in the eye.

Many of those young soldiers were more afraid of their own officers and the military junta than they were of us. They had been sent into an impossible situation by leaders who would never share their hardships.

The Falklands’ climate and terrain are brutal, and the weather is unforgiving. I saw young men who were hungry, frightened, dirty, wet and cold, longing to be back with their families in Argentina. Many I spoke to, while sharing hot drinks and sweets, told me they never wanted to be there in the first place.

So before anyone starts abusing me, my family or my brothers-in-arms, remember this: we were there. We experienced the full cycle of war, and we also witnessed the immense relief of the Falkland Islanders when the invaders finally left.

To those in Argentina who still believe the stories told by defeated generals, I’d simply say this: many of us were there, and we know what happened. Don’t confuse propaganda with the reality witnessed by those who fought and those who surrendered.

The war is over. Britain won. History cannot be changed. It’s time to stop reliving old arguments and instead focus on building a better future for the people of Argentina rather than making repeated claims over the Falkland Islands.

As my grandmother used to say, “Children should be seen and not heard.” Sometimes it’s wiser to listen to those who were actually there.

War tests not only courage in battle, but also humanity in victory. I am proud that we showed both.

Feel free to share and comment “war is not a political football “ maybe you should try it sometime it’s not advisable

Lives broken families destroyed

Respect to those lost to war and those who are still fighting a war long ago."
Shared as requested.

Falklands
#FalklandsWar
#veterans

[Care Champions Ireland @CareChampions2]

This is 79-year-old Robert Thompson from Bray. Robert is completely blind, but until recently, he has managed to live a highly independent life with the help of his brilliant guide dog, Rhona.

But right now, Wicklow County Council is failing him, and the entire visually impaired community.

For years, the audible signals at pedestrian crossings across Bray have been faulty. Recently, things have gone from bad to worse. The critical audio signals that tell Robert where the crossing pole is (the "wait" sound) and when it is actually safe to cross (the "go" sound) have stopped working entirely on busy routes near his home.

"There’s no way I would cross that road without the sound," Robert says. "It’s just too dangerous."

To make matters worse, recent changes to the local Dublin bus network (replacing the old 145 route with the E1 spine) mean his usual handy bus stops are gone. Because the council has left the nearby pedestrian signals broken, Robert can no longer cross the street safely at his local stop.

Robert is now forced to get off the bus early and walk a massive, grueling 1.5 kilometers EACH WAY along a highly dangerous, busy stretch of road just to find a single working crossing.

Robert has contacted Wicklow County Council repeatedly. They have acknowledged his complaints, but they have met him with absolute silence regarding any actual repairs.

Basic mobility and safety should be a right, not a luxury. By ignoring these broken signals for years, the council is effectively trapping vulnerable residents in their own towns and actively stripping away their independence.

Please SHARE this post! Let’s get the word out and force Wicklow County Council to do their job, fix the audio signals in Bray, and restore safety and freedom to Robert and others who rely on them!

#WicklowCountyCouncil #AccessibilityMatters #Bray #Inclusion #GuideDogsIreland #RobertThompson

https://t.co/2x43RYro4E

[Paul Bronks @SlenderSherbet]

The only World Cup penalty shootout you need to see today.

[Liam Halligan @LiamHalligan]

This will be good ⬇️⬇️⬇️

I've visited Michaela School - it's in the same part of London where I grew up. What Katharine Birbalsingh and her staff have achieved there is nothing short of remarkable.

Michaela is a non-selective state school, in one of the toughest parts of the capital. Yet it consistently chalks up the highest "Progress 8" score (value added) of any school in the country.

It's raw exam results also outstrip those of almost all British schools, with Michaela recently achieving 100pc pass rates in English & Maths GCSEs with over 40pc of all pupils achieved five or more grade 9s (the highest possible GCSE grade) and over 80pc of Michaela's sixth form securing spots at prestigious Russell Group universities.

That places Michaela among the top 2pc of all schools in Britain – including the most exclusive, highly-selective, resource-rich independent schools ... a non-selective state school in one of the toughest, most deprived parts of London.

Many of the leading lights of Britain's education establishment – obsessed with "Whitehall knows best" nostrums of "progressive child-centered learning" and DEI – often bitterly criticise Katharine Birbalsingh.

But her traditional, "no-excuses" approach based on teacher-led instruction, rigorous discipline, and unified national values so clearly works – with Michaela transforming the lives of countless youngsters, helping them to become happy, aspirational and productive citizens.

For many of those who influence and determine education policy in the UK, clinging to their tired, self-serving, statist ideology matters far more than revolutionising the life chances of some of our least privileged and most vulnerable children.

I look forward to @Miss_Snuffy's upcoming podcast - which I'm sure will be full of valuable educational insights, while winding up all the right people.

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

[Dogs On The Streets @dotslondon]

Please share 🙏

[ClarksonsFarm @ClarksonsFarm1]

"Thank you so much for all the kind messages I’ve had but now, an announcement"…

[Locksley @LocksleyGardens]

@FulhamFC is there a problem with paper tickets for the Wolves game on Sunday? Ours haven’t arrived yet, but this may be the post ?

[D @_Unknown_D_]

When people say things like ‘Why are people worried about wealth taxes that will never affect them’ it shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how the economy works and why even people who aren’t rich, don’t want wealth taxes.

Wealthy people like it or not, are amongst the most economically productive people in our country, the top 1% of earners contribute 30% of our income tax receipts. The top 1% are responsible for approx 340,000 jobs in the economy etc.

Wealthy people are also best placed to restructure their tax affairs to avoid wealth taxes and the most geographically mobile in our country, leaving for them is as easy as rearranging dates in their calendar. There is a wealth of comparative data from other countries showing wealth taxes are economically damaging, difficult to implement, expensive to administer and never raise the levels of taxes promised. There is no country in world that has ever raised anywhere near the £25 billion cited as the potential amounts that would be raised from an annual wealth tax.

If the wealthy leave that impacts our tax base, which inevitably means that everyone else who isn’t wealthy, has to pay more tax. If they leave they will shift their strategic focus and capital to wherever they go, which means that money that would otherwise would have been invested in the UK will go elsewhere. This is precisely why other countries like Italy have tax regimes specially designed to incentivise wealthy people to come, they understand that having wealthy people is great for tax receipts, job creation and economic growth.

It’s very disingenuous to assume the reason why people don’t support wealth taxes is because they believe they will one day be in the 1%. They don’t support wealth taxes for the most part because they understand they simply do not work.

Zack Polanski is a dangerous man who isn’t even clear in his own mind why we need wealth taxes. His commitment to wealth taxes is ideological rather than evidence based. In the interview he explains that there’s a lot of the wealth in the city of London yet at the same time maintains that wealth taxes aren’t needed for raising tax revenues but are principally for reducing wealth inequality. So you mean to tell me the goal is the force some of the most economically productive people to leave so that we can all be poorer collectively but be more equal?

In a country where 53% of households take more out of the state in benefits than they put in, what do you think will happen to the tax burden for working /middle class people if the top 1% leave or restructure their tax affairs in such as way that reduces their exposure to the UK.

We are already at a post world war high when it comes to the tax burden and we are in real time seeing the damage it is doing to business and investor confidence in the UK economy. Yet you somehow think that levying even more taxes will have no impact on ordinary people?

[Locksley @LocksleyGardens]

@FulhamFC Thanks for a wonderful evening. Great fun!

[Paul Rees. ex Rucksack. @HannahIamthest1]

1. When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison.
2. To me, "drink responsibly" means don't spill it.
3. Age 60 might be the new 40, but 9:00 pm is the new midnight.
4. It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles.
5. The older I get, the earlier it gets late.
6. When I say, "The other day," I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.
7. I remember being able to get up without making sound effects.
8. I had my patience tested. I'm negative.
9. Remember, if you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn't fit any of your containers.
10. If you're sitting in public and a stranger takes the seat next to you, just stare straight ahead and say, "Did you bring the money?"
11. When you ask me what I am doing today, and I say "nothing," it does not mean I am free. It means I am doing nothing.
12. I finally got eight hours of sleep. It took me three days, but whatever.
13. I run like the winded.
14. I hate when a couple argues in public, and I missed the beginning and don't know whose side I'm on.
15. When someone asks what I did over the weekend, I squint and ask, "Why, what did you hear?"
16. When you do squats, are your knees supposed to sound like a goat chewing on an aluminum can stuffed with celery?
17. I don't mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited.
18. When I ask for directions, please don't use words like "east."
19. Don't bother walking a mile in my shoes. That would be boring. Spend 30 seconds in my head. That'll freak you right out.
20. Sometimes, someone unexpected comes into your life out of nowhere, makes your heart race, and changes you forever. We call those people cops.
21. My luck is like a bald guy who just won a comb!
🤣🤣🤣

[Chico Muya @chico_ray]

I used to believe that being on the Left meant that you were a good person.
That you cared about injustice and you wanted to oppose evil.
But I was wrong.
It’s all about narratives.
Outrage is only appropriate if it follows the scripted narrative.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen people on the Left support/excuse some of the most barbaric, anti human entities on this planet. Many people who portrayed themselves as bleeding hearts, turned out to be rabid West-hating, terrorist supporters—full of hate.

It feels like the world was violently thrown upside down.

But hey, perhaps it was always like this. I just didn’t see the twisted ideology for what it is.

[🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿InsideLucysHead🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿© @InsideLucysHead]

Keir Starmer walked into a bank to cash a cheque...

When he’s called over to the teller, he says, "Good morning, could you please cash this cheque for me?"

The teller replied, "It would be my pleasure sir. Could you please show me your ID?"

Keir said, "Truthfully (yea right 🙄), I didn’t bring my ID with me as I didn't think there was any need to. I’m the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom."

The teller said, "Yes yer tool, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of impostors, forgers, and requirements of the legislation etc, I must insist on seeing ID."

Keir said, “Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they’ll tell you. Everybody knows who I am."

The teller said, "I’m sorry, yer W⚓️, but these are the bank rules and I must follow them".

Getting a bit agitated, Keir snapped, “C'mon woman, I’m urging you, please, to cash this cheque.."

The teller said, "Look here yer bare faced liar, here is an example of what we can do. One day, Tiger Woods came into the bank without ID. To prove he was Tiger Woods, he pulled out his putter and made a beautiful shot across the bank into a cup. With that shot we knew him to be Tiger Woods and cashed his cheque. Another time, Andre Agassi came in without ID. He pulled out his tennis racket and made a fabulous shot where the tennis ball landed in my cup. With that shot we cashed his cheque. So, Keir, what can you do to prove that it is you, and only you?

Keir Starmer stands there thinking, and thinking, and finally says, "Honestly, my mind is a total blank, there’s nothing that comes to my mind. I can't think of a single thing. I have absolutely no idea what to do, and I don't have a clue."

With a big smile, the teller said, "Will that be large or small notes, Mr Starmer?

[Locksley @LocksleyGardens]

⁦@Fulham_Pier⁩ I have just bought pizza from Slice and Dice. The server Fatou is handling the food with her bare hands. You can do better than this.

[Kate Hoey @CatharineHoey]

So sad to see how few Labour MPs even try to understand this. Well said Jim