Kirsty Grainger
@kirstygrainger.bsky.social
By day: enabler of research & cheerleader of people. By night: sweary embroidery, speedcubing, books, parkrun. University of Bath (ex-UKRI). She/her
Oh this is such a glorious watch. Thanks for recommending @cash4questions.bsky.social and oh oh oh @volcanojenni.bsky.social @davidpyle.bsky.social your game appears in episode six. I clapped with glee when I realised it was indeed Volcano Top Trumps 🥰
Go watch.
Go watch.
Quick TV recommendation for anyone looking for something warm, slow, gentle, and wise:
Leonard and Hungry Paul.
"A gentle, meandering tale of friendship, board games and finding your way in the world"
You'll know from the trailer if this is one for you, which is handy.
Leonard and Hungry Paul.
"A gentle, meandering tale of friendship, board games and finding your way in the world"
You'll know from the trailer if this is one for you, which is handy.
Leonard and Hungry Paul
Quiet lives, big hearts. A gentle, meandering tale of friendship, board games and finding your way in the world. Starring Alex Lawther, Laurie Kynaston and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Oh this is such a glorious watch. Thanks for recommending @cash4questions.bsky.social and oh oh oh @volcanojenni.bsky.social @davidpyle.bsky.social your game appears in episode six. I clapped with glee when I realised it was indeed Volcano Top Trumps 🥰
Go watch.
Go watch.
Reposted by Kirsty Grainger
I'm not sure if you are not involved in the system you will understand the gravity of what being in 'supported accommodation' or 'limited day-to-day adult involvement' means.
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
New gov stats show 10,800 teens in care are in supported accommodation, often with limited day-to-day adult involvement.
For @bigissue.com, @nuffieldfjo.bsky.social's @lisaharker.bsky.social builds on her feature for our Grown Up? programme and examines the impact of these living arrangements.
For @bigissue.com, @nuffieldfjo.bsky.social's @lisaharker.bsky.social builds on her feature for our Grown Up? programme and examines the impact of these living arrangements.
Shocking number of children in care live without consistent love of an adult
Lisa Harker of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, analyses figures on supported accommodation and what they mean for children in care.
www.bigissue.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I'm not sure if you are not involved in the system you will understand the gravity of what being in 'supported accommodation' or 'limited day-to-day adult involvement' means.
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
I'm not sure if you are not involved in the system you will understand the gravity of what being in 'supported accommodation' or 'limited day-to-day adult involvement' means.
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
New gov stats show 10,800 teens in care are in supported accommodation, often with limited day-to-day adult involvement.
For @bigissue.com, @nuffieldfjo.bsky.social's @lisaharker.bsky.social builds on her feature for our Grown Up? programme and examines the impact of these living arrangements.
For @bigissue.com, @nuffieldfjo.bsky.social's @lisaharker.bsky.social builds on her feature for our Grown Up? programme and examines the impact of these living arrangements.
Shocking number of children in care live without consistent love of an adult
Lisa Harker of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, analyses figures on supported accommodation and what they mean for children in care.
www.bigissue.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I'm not sure if you are not involved in the system you will understand the gravity of what being in 'supported accommodation' or 'limited day-to-day adult involvement' means.
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
Before I give some anonymised examples of my experience of working with young people as a volunteer in this system 1/n
I have first hand experience of this as a independent visitor volunteer to young people in care. The abandonment of children in supported accommodation is something we should be utterly ashamed of as a nation. Good to see his urgent issue being highlighted by the @nuffieldfoundation.org .
New gov stats show 10,800 teens in care are in supported accommodation, often with limited day-to-day adult involvement.
For @bigissue.com, @nuffieldfjo.bsky.social's @lisaharker.bsky.social builds on her feature for our Grown Up? programme and examines the impact of these living arrangements.
For @bigissue.com, @nuffieldfjo.bsky.social's @lisaharker.bsky.social builds on her feature for our Grown Up? programme and examines the impact of these living arrangements.
Shocking number of children in care live without consistent love of an adult
Lisa Harker of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, analyses figures on supported accommodation and what they mean for children in care.
www.bigissue.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:48 AM
I have first hand experience of this as a independent visitor volunteer to young people in care. The abandonment of children in supported accommodation is something we should be utterly ashamed of as a nation. Good to see his urgent issue being highlighted by the @nuffieldfoundation.org .
Reposted by Kirsty Grainger
“If you went back a million minutes, you would be back to January 2024. If you go back a billion minutes, you are in the Roman empire. That’s the difference between a million and a billion.”
"You can agree or disagree with him, but Polanski does not pretend to be something he is not.
He is unusually willing for a politician to give a straight answer to questions.
Does he want to rejoin the EU? “Yes."
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
He is unusually willing for a politician to give a straight answer to questions.
Does he want to rejoin the EU? “Yes."
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Zack Polanski: ‘People will have to find some other way to hurt me’ | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
“If you went back a million minutes, you would be back to January 2024. If you go back a billion minutes, you are in the Roman empire. That’s the difference between a million and a billion.”
Parkrun update: home course. There is a special community feeling of huddling in the rain ahead of parkrun! One brave sole stood in the rain rather than under the shelter... 🦖
November 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Parkrun update: home course. There is a special community feeling of huddling in the rain ahead of parkrun! One brave sole stood in the rain rather than under the shelter... 🦖
Cannot listen to the narrative that the government/Boris Johnson provided the "drive" that ensured the UK rolled out the first COVID vaccine. I call bullshit. Utter bullshit. That credit goes to colleagues at the MRC and Oxford. Who probably feel that they can't call bullshit publicly.
November 21, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Cannot listen to the narrative that the government/Boris Johnson provided the "drive" that ensured the UK rolled out the first COVID vaccine. I call bullshit. Utter bullshit. That credit goes to colleagues at the MRC and Oxford. Who probably feel that they can't call bullshit publicly.
A year ago today my teenager broke the National Record for the Rubik's Cube. With a ridiculous 3.69 second solve.
The video still makes me smile
youtu.be/LEOZYJK5J2c
His national record still stands and he's only dropped from 10th to 11th fastest in the world of all time.
The video still makes me smile
youtu.be/LEOZYJK5J2c
His national record still stands and he's only dropped from 10th to 11th fastest in the world of all time.
3.69 Rubik's Cube UK NR single!!
YouTube video by Aidan Grainger
youtu.be
November 17, 2025 at 8:22 PM
A year ago today my teenager broke the National Record for the Rubik's Cube. With a ridiculous 3.69 second solve.
The video still makes me smile
youtu.be/LEOZYJK5J2c
His national record still stands and he's only dropped from 10th to 11th fastest in the world of all time.
The video still makes me smile
youtu.be/LEOZYJK5J2c
His national record still stands and he's only dropped from 10th to 11th fastest in the world of all time.
Hey @theguardian.com the Charlie Brown kit is an embroidery kit not a cross-stitch kit* they are different things.
www.theguardian.com/thefilter/20...
*hangs head in peak embroidery geek/modern writing in to complain shame.
www.theguardian.com/thefilter/20...
*hangs head in peak embroidery geek/modern writing in to complain shame.
305 best Christmas gifts for 2025: truly brilliant presents tried, tested and handpicked by the Filter UK
We’ve tasted, sniffed and inspected more than 300 presents to bring you our ultimate Christmas gift guide – from must-have Lego and smoky mezcal to Meera Sodha’s favourite knife
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Hey @theguardian.com the Charlie Brown kit is an embroidery kit not a cross-stitch kit* they are different things.
www.theguardian.com/thefilter/20...
*hangs head in peak embroidery geek/modern writing in to complain shame.
www.theguardian.com/thefilter/20...
*hangs head in peak embroidery geek/modern writing in to complain shame.
Time with my Independent Visitor volunteer's hat on yesterday. Time with a young person that wants to hang out*. What's not to like?
Saw pigs and played lots of pass-the-pigs and sky-jo in a café.
anotherwayoflookingatit.wordpress.com/2021/04/12/b...
*a rare thing now my kids are teens!
Saw pigs and played lots of pass-the-pigs and sky-jo in a café.
anotherwayoflookingatit.wordpress.com/2021/04/12/b...
*a rare thing now my kids are teens!
November 9, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Time with my Independent Visitor volunteer's hat on yesterday. Time with a young person that wants to hang out*. What's not to like?
Saw pigs and played lots of pass-the-pigs and sky-jo in a café.
anotherwayoflookingatit.wordpress.com/2021/04/12/b...
*a rare thing now my kids are teens!
Saw pigs and played lots of pass-the-pigs and sky-jo in a café.
anotherwayoflookingatit.wordpress.com/2021/04/12/b...
*a rare thing now my kids are teens!
Parkrun update: 101 home. Joy here today as tradition dictates that for a local event called runvember local runners (not me) run only wearing swimming gear. Old fashioned swimming gear the norm but there are always a few only running in Speedos!! No photo 🫣
www.runvember.co.uk
www.runvember.co.uk
HrH’s RunVEMBER Challenge, Swindon
Run 30 days through November with the people of Swindon, to raise money for Swindon Food Collective/Threshold/The Harbour Project Find out how it works and how to take part in this challenge on the Ru...
www.runvember.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Parkrun update: 101 home. Joy here today as tradition dictates that for a local event called runvember local runners (not me) run only wearing swimming gear. Old fashioned swimming gear the norm but there are always a few only running in Speedos!! No photo 🫣
www.runvember.co.uk
www.runvember.co.uk
In case you've missed it UKRI are currently actively asking for feedback. Respond by 31 December.
(although my internal debate on whether stakeholder is a word that should be banished remains)
www.ukri.org/news/ukri-se...
(although my internal debate on whether stakeholder is a word that should be banished remains)
www.ukri.org/news/ukri-se...
November 7, 2025 at 3:04 PM
In case you've missed it UKRI are currently actively asking for feedback. Respond by 31 December.
(although my internal debate on whether stakeholder is a word that should be banished remains)
www.ukri.org/news/ukri-se...
(although my internal debate on whether stakeholder is a word that should be banished remains)
www.ukri.org/news/ukri-se...
Why is the use of PascalCase (where you capitalise each word) important in a hashtag?
So #LookingAtIt isn't misinterpreted or read by screen readers incorrectly and you don't end up #LookingATit
Always #PascalCase
So #LookingAtIt isn't misinterpreted or read by screen readers incorrectly and you don't end up #LookingATit
Always #PascalCase
November 5, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Why is the use of PascalCase (where you capitalise each word) important in a hashtag?
So #LookingAtIt isn't misinterpreted or read by screen readers incorrectly and you don't end up #LookingATit
Always #PascalCase
So #LookingAtIt isn't misinterpreted or read by screen readers incorrectly and you don't end up #LookingATit
Always #PascalCase
#parkrun update: away at Rothay Park Ambleside.
MY 100th PARKRUN!
Also my slowest ever parkrun as I'm injured from a cartoon-style fall last week. Probably* shouldn't have run but had planned for over a year for my 100th to coincide with the new age grading so did it. Mostly walked it
*definitely
MY 100th PARKRUN!
Also my slowest ever parkrun as I'm injured from a cartoon-style fall last week. Probably* shouldn't have run but had planned for over a year for my 100th to coincide with the new age grading so did it. Mostly walked it
*definitely
November 1, 2025 at 10:38 AM
#parkrun update: away at Rothay Park Ambleside.
MY 100th PARKRUN!
Also my slowest ever parkrun as I'm injured from a cartoon-style fall last week. Probably* shouldn't have run but had planned for over a year for my 100th to coincide with the new age grading so did it. Mostly walked it
*definitely
MY 100th PARKRUN!
Also my slowest ever parkrun as I'm injured from a cartoon-style fall last week. Probably* shouldn't have run but had planned for over a year for my 100th to coincide with the new age grading so did it. Mostly walked it
*definitely
In the very beautiful and very rainy Lake District. As always, casually looking at houses for sale. Accidentally finding William Wordsworth's house happens to be available! Anyone got a spare £2.5 million??
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Check out this 7 bedroom detached house for sale on Rightmove
7 bedroom detached house for sale in Rydal Mount, Rydal, Ambleside, LA22 9LU, LA22 for £2,500,000. Marketed by AshdownJones, The Lakes and Lune Valley
www.rightmove.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 3:09 PM
In the very beautiful and very rainy Lake District. As always, casually looking at houses for sale. Accidentally finding William Wordsworth's house happens to be available! Anyone got a spare £2.5 million??
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Who are the researchers welcoming this initiative?? No intention to create a pile-on, I'm only observing that the subheading of this article is misleading as there is no resecher in the article quoted as going anything as positive as "welcoming" this.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Google Scholar tool gives extra credit to first and last authors
Researchers welcome the initiative, but say it doesn’t go far enough to capture the nuance of researcher productivity and impact.
www.nature.com
October 26, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Who are the researchers welcoming this initiative?? No intention to create a pile-on, I'm only observing that the subheading of this article is misleading as there is no resecher in the article quoted as going anything as positive as "welcoming" this.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
This info was routinely published by UKRI prior to the the new funding service (TFS) which doesn't yet have the same capability, in some areas, as the old system Je-S had.
A long time ago RCUK (as was) did a review of award rates and concluded that anything less than 20% was inefficient.
A long time ago RCUK (as was) did a review of award rates and concluded that anything less than 20% was inefficient.
After submitting a FOIA request UKRI, I obtained success rates by three grant call scheme and I can only say that I am disheartened by the results:
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
- AHRC Responsive Mode 2025: 2%
- ESRC New Investigator Grant 2025: 1%
- ESRC Research Grant Round 2025: 1%
October 23, 2025 at 2:52 PM
This info was routinely published by UKRI prior to the the new funding service (TFS) which doesn't yet have the same capability, in some areas, as the old system Je-S had.
A long time ago RCUK (as was) did a review of award rates and concluded that anything less than 20% was inefficient.
A long time ago RCUK (as was) did a review of award rates and concluded that anything less than 20% was inefficient.
Just spotted that the roses universities @yorkuniversity.bsky.social and @lancasteruni.bsky.social have used the same supplier for the pens they give away on open days.
October 20, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Just spotted that the roses universities @yorkuniversity.bsky.social and @lancasteruni.bsky.social have used the same supplier for the pens they give away on open days.
Parkrun update: have stupidly not built in illness contingency for my 100th parkrun party (with friends travelling from afar to run my 100th with me in a couple of weeks). This means parkrun number 98 must be a snotty slow one today 🤦♀️😆
October 18, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Parkrun update: have stupidly not built in illness contingency for my 100th parkrun party (with friends travelling from afar to run my 100th with me in a couple of weeks). This means parkrun number 98 must be a snotty slow one today 🤦♀️😆
@alexmaclaren.bsky.social season three of The Diplomat. Ten minutes in but so good.
October 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM
@alexmaclaren.bsky.social season three of The Diplomat. Ten minutes in but so good.
I've just refused to make a decision on the grounds I've had a long week (including illness) and I don't think it is sensible for me to make a decision right now. I absolutely know I am going to curse myself come Monday because that decision will still be there and still difficult, regardless.
October 17, 2025 at 3:51 PM
I've just refused to make a decision on the grounds I've had a long week (including illness) and I don't think it is sensible for me to make a decision right now. I absolutely know I am going to curse myself come Monday because that decision will still be there and still difficult, regardless.
The Celebrity Traitors round table as training material for unconscious bias in peer review panels?
October 15, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The Celebrity Traitors round table as training material for unconscious bias in peer review panels?
I will not take the bait.... I will not take the bait....
REF incentives stretch research funding, warns former UKRI boss.
Ottoline Leyser says quality-related distribution mechanism is leading to over-recruitment of principal investigators.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Ottoline Leyser says quality-related distribution mechanism is leading to over-recruitment of principal investigators.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
REF incentives stretch research funding, warns former UKRI boss - Research Professional News
Ottoline Leyser says quality-related distribution mechanism is leading to over-recruitment of principal investigators
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
October 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I will not take the bait.... I will not take the bait....
Some days be like.....
Wordle 1,576 X/6*
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October 12, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Some days be like.....
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Cheeky mid week gig with the fam. The Divine Comedy albums have mirrored stages of me and my peers lives given the proximity of age to Mr Neil Hannon. Latest album is about the death of his father. Sublime. Stand out tracks for me The Last Time I Saw The Old Man which is gloriously real 1/2
October 8, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Cheeky mid week gig with the fam. The Divine Comedy albums have mirrored stages of me and my peers lives given the proximity of age to Mr Neil Hannon. Latest album is about the death of his father. Sublime. Stand out tracks for me The Last Time I Saw The Old Man which is gloriously real 1/2