Carolyn
@carolynl.bsky.social
CEO, Alcohol Focus Scotland.
I post about AFS' work and Scottish politics/policy in general, with some books, parenting and Jambos chat thrown in from time to time.
I post about AFS' work and Scottish politics/policy in general, with some books, parenting and Jambos chat thrown in from time to time.
So sorry to hear of Jeane Freeman’s death. I met her a few times during the creation of Scotland’s social security system, when I was arguing for it to recognise mental health needs. She sent a personal letter thanking me for my efforts: an unnecessary but gracious gesture that I’ve never forgotten.
February 7, 2026 at 2:57 PM
So sorry to hear of Jeane Freeman’s death. I met her a few times during the creation of Scotland’s social security system, when I was arguing for it to recognise mental health needs. She sent a personal letter thanking me for my efforts: an unnecessary but gracious gesture that I’ve never forgotten.
Approaching the end of my first week as CEO of @alcoholfocus.bsky.social. So impressed by our highly dedicated, knowledgeable and supportive team and the breadth of work going on, all underpinned by constant efforts to involve people affected by alcohol. I have lots to learn, but a great start.
February 6, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Approaching the end of my first week as CEO of @alcoholfocus.bsky.social. So impressed by our highly dedicated, knowledgeable and supportive team and the breadth of work going on, all underpinned by constant efforts to involve people affected by alcohol. I have lots to learn, but a great start.
Hearty well done to the @sundaypost.com for this excellent headline.
December 14, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Hearty well done to the @sundaypost.com for this excellent headline.
As it’s St Andrew’s Day, it’s our patriotic duty to spent the entire day re-posting the Scotland goals. I’ll start. 🏴 youtu.be/WQens1nFM1k?...
Scott Mctominay bicycle kick | Greatest goal in Scotland history | World cup qualifiers 2026
YouTube video by Footbaal
youtu.be
November 30, 2025 at 9:22 AM
As it’s St Andrew’s Day, it’s our patriotic duty to spent the entire day re-posting the Scotland goals. I’ll start. 🏴 youtu.be/WQens1nFM1k?...
Twenty-six years into our relationship, I’ve just discovered that @defmech.com can do an excellent Orville impression.
a green duck wearing a pink and white hat .
ALT: a green duck wearing a pink and white hat .
media.tenor.com
June 28, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Twenty-six years into our relationship, I’ve just discovered that @defmech.com can do an excellent Orville impression.
Reposted by Carolyn
On the road to 2026, the housing emergency still looms large.
SFHA’s new paper calls for action—not just to build homes, but to keep people in them.
👉 tinyurl.com/2m6z9zsp #RoadTo2026 #HousingCrisis
SFHA’s new paper calls for action—not just to build homes, but to keep people in them.
👉 tinyurl.com/2m6z9zsp #RoadTo2026 #HousingCrisis
May 15, 2025 at 9:28 AM
On the road to 2026, the housing emergency still looms large.
SFHA’s new paper calls for action—not just to build homes, but to keep people in them.
👉 tinyurl.com/2m6z9zsp #RoadTo2026 #HousingCrisis
SFHA’s new paper calls for action—not just to build homes, but to keep people in them.
👉 tinyurl.com/2m6z9zsp #RoadTo2026 #HousingCrisis
Latest Goodreads review is Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch, which I picked up out of a sense of duty: because what kind of feminist hasn't read this stone-cold classic? I'm glad I did so, but it's not aged well: not one that I'll re-read. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Carolyn Lochhead's review of The Female Eunuch
3/5: I'm glad Germaine Greer wrote this book and did so much to advance the cause of women's rights, but coming to this book in 2025, it does feel pretty dated. She cites what feel like quite random e...
www.goodreads.com
April 10, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Latest Goodreads review is Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch, which I picked up out of a sense of duty: because what kind of feminist hasn't read this stone-cold classic? I'm glad I did so, but it's not aged well: not one that I'll re-read. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Latest Goodreads review is Butter by Asako Yuzuki. A book about food, sex, friendship and the casual but unrelenting sexism directed at Japanese women. Full of lavish descriptions of unapologetically consuming rich, full-on flavours. I liked it. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Carolyn Lochhead's review of Butter
4/5: There's a lot going on in this book. Rika, a journalist trying to make her way in the relentless, exhausting world of Japanese magazine publishing, interviews Manako Kaji, a jailed killer who has...
www.goodreads.com
April 7, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Latest Goodreads review is Butter by Asako Yuzuki. A book about food, sex, friendship and the casual but unrelenting sexism directed at Japanese women. Full of lavish descriptions of unapologetically consuming rich, full-on flavours. I liked it. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
My latest book review on Goodreads is Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist. She covers important topics that need attention as women's rights are being dismantled. But it's all a bit disjointed, and falls back too often on critiquing TV shows instead of actual policy. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Carolyn Lochhead's review of Bad Feminist
3/5: Roxane Gay's essays are readable, thoughtful and packed with points that need to be made as parts of the western world retreat from any notion that women are equal citizens. However, I found this...
www.goodreads.com
March 19, 2025 at 9:40 PM
My latest book review on Goodreads is Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist. She covers important topics that need attention as women's rights are being dismantled. But it's all a bit disjointed, and falls back too often on critiquing TV shows instead of actual policy. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
If you're a book fan, you might be interested in my Goodreads reviews: my latest is Kristin Hannah's The Women. Frankie serves as a nurse in Vietnam and comes home to find her country is either embarrassed of her service, or doesn't believe it happened. Brilliant. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Carolyn Lochhead's review of The Women
5/5: So far, I've never met a Kristin Hannah book that I didn't love. She has a gift for telling big stories about history and society through the eyes of women who were there. In this book, she tran...
www.goodreads.com
March 15, 2025 at 9:08 AM
If you're a book fan, you might be interested in my Goodreads reviews: my latest is Kristin Hannah's The Women. Frankie serves as a nurse in Vietnam and comes home to find her country is either embarrassed of her service, or doesn't believe it happened. Brilliant. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Reposted by Carolyn
💫 Nominations are now open for SFHA's NextGen Leaders award. 💫
As part of SFHA’s 50th anniversary celebrations, we’re looking to the future of Scotland’s social housing. 🏘️
👀 Learn more here: tinyurl.com/bde7bp3f
As part of SFHA’s 50th anniversary celebrations, we’re looking to the future of Scotland’s social housing. 🏘️
👀 Learn more here: tinyurl.com/bde7bp3f
Nominate your young rising stars! - The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Limited
The SFHA is the representative organisation for Scotland's Housing Association sector
tinyurl.com
March 12, 2025 at 10:07 AM
💫 Nominations are now open for SFHA's NextGen Leaders award. 💫
As part of SFHA’s 50th anniversary celebrations, we’re looking to the future of Scotland’s social housing. 🏘️
👀 Learn more here: tinyurl.com/bde7bp3f
As part of SFHA’s 50th anniversary celebrations, we’re looking to the future of Scotland’s social housing. 🏘️
👀 Learn more here: tinyurl.com/bde7bp3f
This was an unexpectedly thought-provoking podcast episode, covering how to respond to hate-filled debates, whether porn stars need good upper arm strength and Ted Denson. Enjoyably mad and also smart.
March 8, 2025 at 2:02 PM
This was an unexpectedly thought-provoking podcast episode, covering how to respond to hate-filled debates, whether porn stars need good upper arm strength and Ted Denson. Enjoyably mad and also smart.
As a lifelong Jambo, I’m enjoying the @mmgeissler.bsky.social podcast on Romanov. I’d forgotten quite how torrid those days were…
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
BBC Sounds - Romanov: Czar of Hearts - Available Episodes
Listen to the latest episodes of Romanov: Czar of Hearts on BBC Sounds.
www.bbc.co.uk
March 4, 2025 at 12:14 PM
As a lifelong Jambo, I’m enjoying the @mmgeissler.bsky.social podcast on Romanov. I’d forgotten quite how torrid those days were…
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
Proud to launch this new report today, which puts the voices of people still waiting for a social home at the heart of the debate. As the Scottish Budget is finalised, we need to see safe, warm, affordable rented homes as an absolutely top priority.
🏡 Still Waiting 🏡
Scotland’s housing crisis leaves 250,000 on social housing waiting lists.
The ‘Still Waiting’ report shows a £212m boost is only a start, long-term solutions are needed now - families can't wait forever.
Read more here: tinyurl.com/2kvkcu43
Scotland’s housing crisis leaves 250,000 on social housing waiting lists.
The ‘Still Waiting’ report shows a £212m boost is only a start, long-term solutions are needed now - families can't wait forever.
Read more here: tinyurl.com/2kvkcu43
“Breaking point”: The families at the sharp end of Scotland’s housing emergency amid chronic social housing waiting lists - The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Limited
The SFHA is the representative organisation for Scotland's Housing Association sector
tinyurl.com
February 25, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Proud to launch this new report today, which puts the voices of people still waiting for a social home at the heart of the debate. As the Scottish Budget is finalised, we need to see safe, warm, affordable rented homes as an absolutely top priority.
Who else is at the #ScotLab conference tomorrow? I’ll be there to talk about @sfha.bsky.social members’ work to provide affordable rented homes: happy to chat!
February 20, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Who else is at the #ScotLab conference tomorrow? I’ll be there to talk about @sfha.bsky.social members’ work to provide affordable rented homes: happy to chat!
Happy to be popping into the #SCVOgathering to catch up with my vol org pals! Off to hear from Kirsty McNeill at the Scotland Office, and then very much available for coffee ☕️😀
February 5, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Happy to be popping into the #SCVOgathering to catch up with my vol org pals! Off to hear from Kirsty McNeill at the Scotland Office, and then very much available for coffee ☕️😀
Decided today was a good day for cinema, so went to see A Real Pain. Sometimes calling a film quirky really means it’s twee and rubbish but you’re trying to be nice about it. But this was good quirky: a sweet, awkward story that doesn’t spoon-feed the viewer.
January 20, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Decided today was a good day for cinema, so went to see A Real Pain. Sometimes calling a film quirky really means it’s twee and rubbish but you’re trying to be nice about it. But this was good quirky: a sweet, awkward story that doesn’t spoon-feed the viewer.
I haven’t got the hang of this place yet, are we using it to share job opps?
If so, then @sfha.bsky.social has a cracker: help represent Scottish housing associations, who provide affordable rented homes to 600k people. www.sfha.co.uk/jobs-online/...
If not, then just pretend this didn’t happen 😂
If so, then @sfha.bsky.social has a cracker: help represent Scottish housing associations, who provide affordable rented homes to 600k people. www.sfha.co.uk/jobs-online/...
If not, then just pretend this didn’t happen 😂
Policy Lead - The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Limited
Position: Policy Lead
Salary: £47,188
Hours: 35 hours per week - Glasgow/Hybrid working
Closing Date: 12
www.sfha.co.uk
January 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
I haven’t got the hang of this place yet, are we using it to share job opps?
If so, then @sfha.bsky.social has a cracker: help represent Scottish housing associations, who provide affordable rented homes to 600k people. www.sfha.co.uk/jobs-online/...
If not, then just pretend this didn’t happen 😂
If so, then @sfha.bsky.social has a cracker: help represent Scottish housing associations, who provide affordable rented homes to 600k people. www.sfha.co.uk/jobs-online/...
If not, then just pretend this didn’t happen 😂
Reading pile now completely out of hand, after lovely Christmas Day hot on the heels of a birthday. (Gin collection also now somewhat ridiculous). Where to start?!
December 26, 2024 at 12:29 PM
Reading pile now completely out of hand, after lovely Christmas Day hot on the heels of a birthday. (Gin collection also now somewhat ridiculous). Where to start?!
My book group is having its festive meetup tonight so I’m revisiting this personalised performance of Feliz Navidad that the @rsno.bsky.social was kind enough to give us a while back: it’s now an annual festive highlight! youtu.be/kIVIym8argc?...
Feliz Navidad for Carolyn and book group!
YouTube video by Royal Scottish National Orchestra
youtu.be
December 19, 2024 at 10:06 AM
My book group is having its festive meetup tonight so I’m revisiting this personalised performance of Feliz Navidad that the @rsno.bsky.social was kind enough to give us a while back: it’s now an annual festive highlight! youtu.be/kIVIym8argc?...
OK, so I've definitely moved over here. What are we chatting about?
November 14, 2024 at 6:28 PM
OK, so I've definitely moved over here. What are we chatting about?
Right, I've given up on X, arrived here, followed @mscaitlinmoran.bsky.social: now what?
August 7, 2024 at 9:28 PM
Right, I've given up on X, arrived here, followed @mscaitlinmoran.bsky.social: now what?