Daniel Brench

Southampton fan, more into ground hopping now. Beaver Scout Leader & into running. MSc Medical Physics, RMH RT Physics. Type 1 diabetic. Views are my own.

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Some French Interrailling over the last 12 days, with 4 more big Ligue 1 grounds added to the list...
17/4, 301: Lens v Toulouse
19/4, 302: Monaco v Auxerre
25/4, 303: Lyon v Auxerre
26/4, 304: Marseille v Nice
That's 6 of the top 7 in the league visited this season.

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Taking my sabbatical match tally to 30 with 28 new grounds, 4 Swiss Super League matches while Interrailling around Switzerland.
14/3, 297: FC Zurich v Sion
15/3, 298: FC Basel v Servette
21/3, 299: Servette v Grasshopper Club Zurich
22/3, 300: BSC Young Boys v Lugano

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Latest batch of European ground hopping:
14/2, 292: SK Slovan Bratislava v AS Trencin (First Division, popped across the border from Vienna)
20/2, 294: KAA Gent v Cercle Brugge (Pro League)
21/2, 295: Club Brugge v OH Leuven (Pro League)
7/3, 296: Italy v England (6 Nations)

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Most recent batch of European ground hopping, the Austrian Bundesliga.
6/2, 289: RB Salzburg v Austria Vienna
7/2, 290: Rapid Vienna v Hartburg
8/2, 291: Sturm Graz v SV Reid
15/2, 293: Austria Vienna v Rapid Vienna

Due to photo limit, 292 comes in the next update.

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Latest bunch of sabbatical ground hopping:
Ligue 1:
3/1, 285: Lille v Rennes
4/1, 286: Paris SG v Paris FC
Serie A:
17/1, 287: Napoli v Saauolo
18/1, 288: Bologna v Fiorentina

Also 10/1, joined record breaking Southampton Women crowd in the WSL2 south coast derby at St Mary's.

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

@LucyWalkerlab @RoyalFreeChty @BT1DUK @DUK_research This sounds interesting, I have contacted the email address on the poster to ask for more information.

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Finished off this run of 13 football and rugby matches in just over a month with some more continental ground hopping.
5/12: 282, Den Haag v FC Emmen (Eerste Divisie)
7/12: 283, FC Utrecht v FC Twente (Eredivise)
9/12: 284, Bayern Munich v Sporting (UCL)

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Another sabbatical trip with ground hopping, just 5 of the 92 to go.
26/11: 279 & 86/92, Wrexham v Bristol City
28/11: 280, The New Saints v Caernarfon Town (Cymru Premier)
29/11: 281 & 87/92, Bristol Rovers v Notts County
Then 2/12: a very familiar St Mary's for England v Ghana

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

I watch a lot of football as a neutral, the answer is easy. It's all of them. They're all the same, and they all think they're superior to other club fans.
I also despair at the amount of abuse hurled at officials just for making correct decisions which go against their team.

[Andy Bush @bushontheradio]

Which football team's fanbase makes you CRINGE more than any other?

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

First trip of the sabbatical was to Paris, featuring two rugby matches at grounds which also make the football list.
22/11: 277, France v Australia (Stade de France)
23/11: 278, Stade Francais v Toulon (Stade Jean Bouin, current home of Paris FC)

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

On sabbatical for at least 6 months following my Dad's hip op, so time to get in a lot of groundhopping...
8/11: 273 & 83/93, Everton v Fulham
12/11: 274, West Ham W v Southampton W (at Dagenham)
15/11: 275 & 84/92, Luton v Rotherham
20/11: 276 & 85/92, Peterborough v Stockport

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

After adding Northampton v Lincoln (268 and 82/92) on 19/8, some Spanish ground hopping while on holiday in Madrid and Valencia:
13/9 (2pm), 269: Getafe v Oviedo
13/9 (9pm), 270: Athletico v Villareal
14/9, 271: Real Madrid Women v Madrid CFF
20/9, 272: Valencia v Athletic Club

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Scottish football weekend complete...3 League Cup games in 24 hours.
Friday 7.45: 265 Celtic v Falkirk
Saturday 3pm: 266 St Mirren v Hearts (had to leave before extra time to get taxi)
Saturday 5.45: 267 Rangers v Alloa

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Haven't done an update since early April's trip to Ireland...
18/4: 261 (then 82/92) Swansea v Hull
30/5: 262 Nancy for France v Switzerland (Women's Nations League)
4/7: 263 Shelbourne v Cork (Ireland)
29/7: 264 (now 81/92) Barnet v Newport (EFL Cup)

[Lyla's Law @triggersbroom17]

I know this is long, but I urge everyone to read this post in full.

I’m reaching out to you because we urgently call upon your help to urge the Prime Minister and the Health Minister of the United Kingdom to introduce Lyla’s Law — a policy that mandates testing for Type 1 Diabetes in babies, toddlers, children and adolescents as a routine part of medical assessments at the point of care, when displaying any symptoms of the 4 T's (Toileting, Thirst, Tiredness and Thinning).

Why We are Campaigning for Lyla’s Law:

Our daughter, Lyla Story, was just two years old — bright, caring, sharing, full of life, counting into her twenties, bouncing on her trampoline, and dancing every day.

On May 3rd, 2025, she tragically passed away in her sleep — less than 16 hours after being seen by a GP.

The morning before, she had been taken to the doctor by my wife (Lyla’s Mother) and my mother (her grandmother), and they advised the GP of several worrying symptoms:

· More wet nappies.

· Lethargy and extreme tiredness (she fell asleep during the appointment).

· Loss of appetite but drinking lots of fluids and she was even asking for water.

· Vomiting multiple times (including at the surgery and my mother pointing out that it was the third time that morning), which was uncharacteristic for Lyla.

· A large bowel movement 3 nights before her appointment and none since.

· Uncharacteristic quietness (she stopped talking) and lack of energy.

· Weight loss overnight.

Despite these concerning signs, the GP diagnosed her with Tonsillitis, prescribing antibiotics, and to keep giving Lyla Children’s Paracetamol. The GP advised my wife to monitor her and seek further care only if she did not improve in 24 hours.

Lyla passed away within 16 hours in her sleep next to my wife.

The cause of death was undiagnosed Type 1 Diabetes, which led to Acute Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and a gastrointestinal bleed. Lyla did not display any signs of Diabetes in the weeks leading up to her death, however, the GP did not detect that Lyla also had COVID 19, which accelerated her Diabetes symptoms rapidly, causing her immune system to break down quicker.

Young children are often unable to express or describe their symptoms. It is therefore crucial that General Practitioners take the time to thoroughly assess all presenting signs and symptoms, leaving no room for assumptions.

Had her symptoms been more thoroughly investigated — even a simple urine test could have revealed dangerously elevated levels of ketones. A timely diagnosis would have resulted in an urgent referral, as required by NICE Guideline NG18, and Lyla would be alive today, managing her condition safely.

When hospital staff performed blood tests while trying to resuscitate her, Lyla’s HbA1c level was 89 — more than double the normal range (42–43). Her ketone level was 6 — double the threshold of medical danger.

Our daughter was failed by a system that too often overlooks the signs of Type 1 Diabetes in very young children.

This is far from an isolated incident. Children are still being misdiagnosed, sent home, and tragically losing their lives, all due to the lack of simple routine diabetes testing during GP visits. Lyla's condition went undetected, even though her symptoms were far more severe than those of tonsillitis. If simple tests like a urine dip and finger prick had been mandatory for any signs of the "Four T’s" (Toileting, Thirst, Tiredness, and Thinning), and if NICE Guidelines NG18 had been properly followed, she and so many others might still be with us. Instead, we find ourselves visiting her grave, trying to stay strong for our four-year-old son.

So far, I have received over 200 emails from brave parents of children diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Only two families have stated that their child was diagnosed at the initial point of contact with their GP, the rest have been admitted to hospital in DKA stage and near death.

Lyla’s Law would ensure:

· Routine Type 1 Diabetes testing (urine and/or blood) in babies, toddlers, children, and adolescents during medical consultations, particularly where symptoms warrant it.

· Greater awareness and adherence to existing NICE guidelines among healthcare providers.

· The protection of vulnerable children who cannot speak for themselves.

We also believe that Type 1 Diabetes information should at least be in the "Red Book" for babies, Health Visitors need to give advice around the four "T's", Education is needed in primary health settings, and testing for antibodies is desperately needed, so the NHS can pick up those at higher risk and have surveillance on them, preventing serious cases like Lyla's from ever occurring again.

Our Local Authority have unanimously passed a motion to write to the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary urging this law to be passed at a Full Council Meeting. They have sent a global email to all staff, fully supporting the campaign with a link to the petition. We please urge you to do the same. This is not about political persuasion. It is about much needed change and education in primary care settings.

Help us make sure no more children are lost due to missed or delayed diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. Let Lyla’s name stand for change.

Our daughter deserved better. If her story can save even one life, then her legacy will live on.

A link to the petition to make change, and save the lives of children is here: https://t.co/IhwEYzRQtj

https://t.co/1HQNv6BtwH

[Lent Rise & Dorney Scout Group @LRDScouts]

Happy 60th birthday to our wonderful Scout hut, which was officially opened on 12th June 1965 after 12 years of fundraising by the original 1st Lent Rise Scout Group.
We are currently trying to obtain quotes to refurbish the toilets. If you can help please get in touch.

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

I was fortunate, I spotted some of the signs and got myself checked out at my GP. My blood sugar readings were high (81) with high antibody readings, but fortunately not enough for DKA.

[DigiBete @DigiBeteUK]

It's the start of #DiabetesWeek and we wanted to share this film to help spread awareness of the signs of #Type1diabetes. They are known as the 4Ts.

#Type1diabetes is an auto-immune condition in which the body’s own immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. We do not know what causes type 1 diabetes although it is not linked to lifestyle factors.
Please share far and wide as you could help save a life!

https://t.co/ERQ5VLt8U6

#DiabetesAwareness #Diabetes #T1D #DigiBete #dedoc #t1dlookslikeme #Core20plus5 #CommunityLed #ClinicallyApproved @NHSDiabetesProg

[Lent Rise & Dorney Scout Group @LRDScouts]

To celebrate our HQ's 60th birthday this year, we're looking to refurbish our toilets to make them more energy efficient & more accessible for the future.
If you are, or know of, a local company who could come to offer a quote, please get in touch with us to arrange.
@bucksscouts

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Promoting Medical Physics to GCSE students at the @science4u_info School Science Conference today. Thanks to @ipemnews for loan of resources.
@royalmarsden @royalmarsdenNHS

[Daniel Brench @RebelSaint87]

Latest ground hopping update including some more Irish sport...
27/3: 258 and 81/92, Leyton Orient v Stevenage
4/4: 259, St Patrick's Athletic v Shelbourne
5/4: 260, Leinster v Harlequins at Croke Park (briefly the home of the Ireland national team)