Joanne Ainscough

Absolutely delighted to say that I've been accepted for the next cohort of the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Programme. I'm utterly floored, I didn't think I stood a chance at all, it’s probably the most respect and competitive political training scheme out there!

#gardening

I’m so proud of the work we’ve been doing on Four Seasons Allotments site.

Over the last two years we’ve turned around what was a nightmare of a site into a busy community space

I’m not sure whether I’ve got a career in voiceovers ahead of me but I gave it a go whilst faffing making this video.

Stunningly beautiful and makes you realise we are no more significant than dust motes in the vastness of the Universe. The utter nonsense and self-destructive behaviour happening on our planet is nothing compared to the majesty of space

Fucking hell America, why are you like this?

It’s a lovely cotoneaster, great for bees in spring as it’s very nectar rich, brilliant for small birds in winter. If it’s a slow growing one, it shouldn’t need much pruning but late winter/ early spring before the new growth is ideal

Miserable day outside so of course my beloved husband decides to sort out the drawers of doom in the living room coffee table, he’s only done one so far and is already contemplating his life choices! Still he’s found three of the missing tape measures (we have atleast 6 of them!)

I’ve just put mine on for 14 days on my work & Councillor emails. It feels very strange, atm I’m somewhat bereft, who even am I without countless emails to action every day?

Can’t even drop the husband off at the train station & take the cat to the vets without stopping to report a blocked drain! The oh so glamorous life of a Councillor! It’s not all meetings & biscuits! In fact it’s rarely biscuits & if you are lucky you might get some chilled corporation pop (water)!

My son wearing a stupid birthday hat in a Thai restaurant to celebrate his 30th with a deliberate grumpy face because his sister insisted he wear it

Somehow I’ve unlocked level 30 on the son app! I’m not quite sure how that happened, wasn’t it the 90’s only 10 years ago? His sister bought him the stupid hat & forced him to wear it in the Thai restaurant last night hence the deliberate grumpy face!

Scruffy rare pedigree Dandie Dinmont terrier relaxing on a sofa

Sharing my scruffy very rare breed idiot

And so you should that is gorgeous!

It’s lovely, I’ve wanted a really good smoker for years.

Especially when it has 2 unis, one of which is heavily involved with the Cyber Security centre just down the road & large engineering & digital employers in its district or on its doorstep. The recent LGA peer review spoke about Lancaster embracing its potential for digital, today will be fun

Todays interesting juxtaposition with my Councillor & real life is speaking about the vision and ambition that a transformative digital strategy should have especially when that council holds a prime position in the North West Cyber corridor 1/2

Oh I’d love one of those! Its on my wish list for when the garden is finally done and I have a proper outdoor kitchen area

Keep Britain Tidy

Great workshop today with Keep Britain Tidy to develop a five year strategy for fly-tipping for Lancaster City Council

www.keepbritaintidy.org

Be nice to see a few more women on there *hint hint*

Lovely article about the power of volunteering, one of my regular rants is about volunteer burnout in the Third Sector due to the lack of essential services BUT there is no denying that volunteering has many social and wellbeing benefits for the individual & wider society.

I’ve managed to convince myself I could rebuild a crumbling Chateau in France because of YouTube, despite not speaking French, being rubbish at DIY & having multiple chronic autoimmune illnesses that limit my mobility!

I know that feeling, my Masters took nearly 5 years part-time. I felt both relieved and bereft at the end of it. Still can’t believe I did it & keep expecting someone to email me and tell me they made a mistake!

Congratulations, I graduated my Masters last year and know just how much effort it takes!

Was talking about this the other day, mainly because the Royal Mail have issued D&D stamps. I loved Dragons of Autumn Twilight, very soft spot for Tasslehoff!

If there is I’m up for it!

Yep, it’s a go to quote for me as well. It sums it up so beautifully

I’ve deliberately not read it either and I really want to but then it’s truly the end or is it because I’ve read all of the others multiple times, some like Equal Rites atleast a dozen times!

It’s been a pretty awful for growing this year but the one thing I seem to have got right is my #peppers and #chillis. They are doing so well & look gorgeous especially the bueta mulata’s

Really helpful thank you especially starting over again from the other place. It's a bit like first days at school - not sure quite how it all works

Lots of discussion about exactly that on the Labour and Co-Op councillor WhatsApp today

Joined last week and have been dipping in and out to read but not post so far. Felt far too burnt out by the poisonous atmosphere on X but seeing so many folk make the leap away from there is heartening. Loosing 1.5k followers and having to start again might be a good thing.