Galen Reich
@galen.reich.me.uk
Bellingcat | Ex-BBC R&D & Panorama | PhD in Electrical Engineering | He/Him
🌐 https://galen.reich.me.uk
🌐 https://galen.reich.me.uk
Great question! At the moment the tool supports councils that use a particular multimedia partner for streaming their meetings.
I hope to add more providers and councils in the future!
But, at a glance, Galway Council sadly doesn't seem to stream their meetings at all.
I hope to add more providers and councils in the future!
But, at a glance, Galway Council sadly doesn't seem to stream their meetings at all.
August 29, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Great question! At the moment the tool supports councils that use a particular multimedia partner for streaming their meetings.
I hope to add more providers and councils in the future!
But, at a glance, Galway Council sadly doesn't seem to stream their meetings at all.
I hope to add more providers and councils in the future!
But, at a glance, Galway Council sadly doesn't seem to stream their meetings at all.
Plus, if you're tech-minded, the project is open-sourced on GitHub and welcoming contributions! 🛠️
github.com/bellingcat/C...
github.com/bellingcat/C...
GitHub - bellingcat/CouncilSearcher: Find verbatim quotes from council meetings in the UK and Ireland using this free open source research tool by Bellingcat.
Find verbatim quotes from council meetings in the UK and Ireland using this free open source research tool by Bellingcat. - bellingcat/CouncilSearcher
github.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Plus, if you're tech-minded, the project is open-sourced on GitHub and welcoming contributions! 🛠️
github.com/bellingcat/C...
github.com/bellingcat/C...
Absolutely, at the moment this is using the transcripts from the streaming platform, which leads to some truly awful transcription for Edinburgh.
But in the future, I hope that we can support independent transcription with better support for regional accents!
But in the future, I hope that we can support independent transcription with better support for regional accents!
August 29, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Absolutely, at the moment this is using the transcripts from the streaming platform, which leads to some truly awful transcription for Edinburgh.
But in the future, I hope that we can support independent transcription with better support for regional accents!
But in the future, I hope that we can support independent transcription with better support for regional accents!
Thanks very much for sharing it!
I've opened an issue on the repository, so hopefully we can add exact matching in a future iteration 🙌
github.com/bellingcat/C...
I've opened an issue on the repository, so hopefully we can add exact matching in a future iteration 🙌
github.com/bellingcat/C...
Support searching for an exact match · Issue #18 · bellingcat/CouncilSearcher
At the moment a search with FTS5 for "worthing" will include matches for "worth". This is helpful a lot of the time, but there should be a way for users to insist on an exact match (even double quo...
github.com
August 28, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Thanks very much for sharing it!
I've opened an issue on the repository, so hopefully we can add exact matching in a future iteration 🙌
github.com/bellingcat/C...
I've opened an issue on the repository, so hopefully we can add exact matching in a future iteration 🙌
github.com/bellingcat/C...
At the moment it relies on transcription by the councils' multimedia provider.
In the future I'd love to add our own transcription so we can cover more meetings and councils!
In the future I'd love to add our own transcription so we can cover more meetings and councils!
August 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
At the moment it relies on transcription by the councils' multimedia provider.
In the future I'd love to add our own transcription so we can cover more meetings and councils!
In the future I'd love to add our own transcription so we can cover more meetings and councils!
At the moment, the transcripts behind the search are generated by the councils' multimedia provider. It's not perfect, but it's an alternative to looking solely at minutes or watching the full meeting - particularly if you are interested in key terms.
August 28, 2025 at 10:42 AM
At the moment, the transcripts behind the search are generated by the councils' multimedia provider. It's not perfect, but it's an alternative to looking solely at minutes or watching the full meeting - particularly if you are interested in key terms.
Also, double quotes are the way to go for phrases, other characters are removed before searching to strike a balance between FTS5's functionality and a vaguely familiar search experience
August 28, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Also, double quotes are the way to go for phrases, other characters are removed before searching to strike a balance between FTS5's functionality and a vaguely familiar search experience
You got it! If you have ideas of how to improve the search or make it more intuitive, please let me know! And if you want to get involved, PRs are always welcomed 🙌
August 28, 2025 at 10:38 AM
You got it! If you have ideas of how to improve the search or make it more intuitive, please let me know! And if you want to get involved, PRs are always welcomed 🙌
After coming home from the war, he returned to the newspaper trade and married my gran soon after.
He developed a love for classic cars and would buy a damaged car to renovate and drive, before selling it and starting again.
He died in April 2021 at the age of 98.
He developed a love for classic cars and would buy a damaged car to renovate and drive, before selling it and starting again.
He died in April 2021 at the age of 98.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
After coming home from the war, he returned to the newspaper trade and married my gran soon after.
He developed a love for classic cars and would buy a damaged car to renovate and drive, before selling it and starting again.
He died in April 2021 at the age of 98.
He developed a love for classic cars and would buy a damaged car to renovate and drive, before selling it and starting again.
He died in April 2021 at the age of 98.
The camp was liberated in May 1945 and, while waiting for formal evacuation, a memorial edition of the camp newspaper was printed.
"With the redemption of a continent, our exile is ended"
"Wine, not blood, flowed through the streets. We got drunk."
"With the redemption of a continent, our exile is ended"
"Wine, not blood, flowed through the streets. We got drunk."
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The camp was liberated in May 1945 and, while waiting for formal evacuation, a memorial edition of the camp newspaper was printed.
"With the redemption of a continent, our exile is ended"
"Wine, not blood, flowed through the streets. We got drunk."
"With the redemption of a continent, our exile is ended"
"Wine, not blood, flowed through the streets. We got drunk."
He told stories of his time in Stalag Luft 1, the prisoner of war camp to which he was transferred.
And the map he drew in case he ever escaped and needed to navigate through the countryside.
And the map he drew in case he ever escaped and needed to navigate through the countryside.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
He told stories of his time in Stalag Luft 1, the prisoner of war camp to which he was transferred.
And the map he drew in case he ever escaped and needed to navigate through the countryside.
And the map he drew in case he ever escaped and needed to navigate through the countryside.
He had hit the water at speed, and the lights had gone out.
Apparantly saved by his Mae West life jacket, he had been fished out of the water and taken as a prisoner of war by German forces.
Apparantly saved by his Mae West life jacket, he had been fished out of the water and taken as a prisoner of war by German forces.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
He had hit the water at speed, and the lights had gone out.
Apparantly saved by his Mae West life jacket, he had been fished out of the water and taken as a prisoner of war by German forces.
Apparantly saved by his Mae West life jacket, he had been fished out of the water and taken as a prisoner of war by German forces.
Then a postcard arrived, littered with stamps.
DEAREST FOLKS, PLEASE DONT WORRY I'M OK AND UNHARMED.
He had survived. Concussed. Bruised. But alive.
DEAREST FOLKS, PLEASE DONT WORRY I'M OK AND UNHARMED.
He had survived. Concussed. Bruised. But alive.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Then a postcard arrived, littered with stamps.
DEAREST FOLKS, PLEASE DONT WORRY I'M OK AND UNHARMED.
He had survived. Concussed. Bruised. But alive.
DEAREST FOLKS, PLEASE DONT WORRY I'M OK AND UNHARMED.
He had survived. Concussed. Bruised. But alive.
Letters of sympathy and regret arrived in the following weeks from 2 Squadron and the Air Ministry.
I can't imagine how it must have felt to receive such letters.
I can't imagine how it must have felt to receive such letters.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Letters of sympathy and regret arrived in the following weeks from 2 Squadron and the Air Ministry.
I can't imagine how it must have felt to receive such letters.
I can't imagine how it must have felt to receive such letters.
On 15 June 1944, William Wallace Reich, received a telegram.
"Regret to inform you that your son F/O Douglas Gordon Reich is missing as a result of air operations"
This time, he hadn't returned.
"Regret to inform you that your son F/O Douglas Gordon Reich is missing as a result of air operations"
This time, he hadn't returned.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
On 15 June 1944, William Wallace Reich, received a telegram.
"Regret to inform you that your son F/O Douglas Gordon Reich is missing as a result of air operations"
This time, he hadn't returned.
"Regret to inform you that your son F/O Douglas Gordon Reich is missing as a result of air operations"
This time, he hadn't returned.
Grandpa Doug would speak matter-of-factly when recounting the loss of friends.
How he would sometimes return to base after a sortie to discover one or more of the men he'd shared breakfast with hadn't returned.
That was his daily experience.
How he would sometimes return to base after a sortie to discover one or more of the men he'd shared breakfast with hadn't returned.
That was his daily experience.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Grandpa Doug would speak matter-of-factly when recounting the loss of friends.
How he would sometimes return to base after a sortie to discover one or more of the men he'd shared breakfast with hadn't returned.
That was his daily experience.
How he would sometimes return to base after a sortie to discover one or more of the men he'd shared breakfast with hadn't returned.
That was his daily experience.
And would laugh when recalling being slipped a Mickey and waking up two days later, hundreds of miles away from his squadron.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_...
Mickey Finn (drugs) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
And would laugh when recalling being slipped a Mickey and waking up two days later, hundreds of miles away from his squadron.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_...
He was made an Officer at the end of his training and returned to Europe to fly P-51 Mustangs with 2 Squadron.
He would relish telling us about the time he landed at an unfinished airstrip with a cockpit full of bread.
He would relish telling us about the time he landed at an unfinished airstrip with a cockpit full of bread.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
He was made an Officer at the end of his training and returned to Europe to fly P-51 Mustangs with 2 Squadron.
He would relish telling us about the time he landed at an unfinished airstrip with a cockpit full of bread.
He would relish telling us about the time he landed at an unfinished airstrip with a cockpit full of bread.
On one memorable training flight, his engine caught fire.
Intent on bailing with his instructor, they retracted the cockpit and prepared to jump.
Only at the last moment did he spot a fault with his parachute and was forced to return to the cockpit to crash land in a nearby farm field!
Intent on bailing with his instructor, they retracted the cockpit and prepared to jump.
Only at the last moment did he spot a fault with his parachute and was forced to return to the cockpit to crash land in a nearby farm field!
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
On one memorable training flight, his engine caught fire.
Intent on bailing with his instructor, they retracted the cockpit and prepared to jump.
Only at the last moment did he spot a fault with his parachute and was forced to return to the cockpit to crash land in a nearby farm field!
Intent on bailing with his instructor, they retracted the cockpit and prepared to jump.
Only at the last moment did he spot a fault with his parachute and was forced to return to the cockpit to crash land in a nearby farm field!
Before the war he was 17 years old and a newspaper man following in his father's footsteps.
After he was called-up in 1941, he left his family and travelled half-way around the world to Canada for flight training.
After he was called-up in 1941, he left his family and travelled half-way around the world to Canada for flight training.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Before the war he was 17 years old and a newspaper man following in his father's footsteps.
After he was called-up in 1941, he left his family and travelled half-way around the world to Canada for flight training.
After he was called-up in 1941, he left his family and travelled half-way around the world to Canada for flight training.