Mary Cole
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dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Mary Cole
@dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
470 followers 410 following 140 posts
European. SEND parent and campaigner.
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dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Mary Cole @dmcricketwidow.bsky.social · Mar 28
Using language that is dehumanising to people with Learning Disabilities doesn't emphasise the point. It hurts people.
A page from an early twentieth century text classifying people with Learning Disabilities using what is now considered dehumanising language.
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
What a game of football!
November 18, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Reposted by Mary Cole
elhopkins.bsky.social
Zack Polanski is a breath of fresh air.
November 15, 2025 at 9:20 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
#Carer #LearningDisability
Widget symbols showing 'I feel tired'.
November 12, 2025 at 9:40 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Taken yesterday.
Close up photo of an orange rose in full bloom. The rose tree is in front of an old brick wall.
October 31, 2025 at 7:28 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Anglesey Abbey looking glorious yesterday.
Row of trees by water. The trees are reflected in the water and some have golden leaves. View of a river bank taken through the leaves of trees. The leaves in the foreground are green. Those on the opposite bank are mainly golden. Cyclamen growing in a wooded are. The cyclamen are surrounded by fallen leaves. Herbaceous border with green leaves on shrubs in the foreground. There is a small tree with red and golden leaves.
October 29, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Reposted by Mary Cole
brianwernham.bsky.social
Hospices: "The government has cut funding to hospices by 10% in real terms compared with 2023"
- BBC Radio 4 news at 6am

www.libdems.org.uk/hospices
Save Our Hospices
Back our campaign to protect hospice services and ensure they always have the funding and staff to care for anyone who needs their support.
www.libdems.org.uk
October 29, 2025 at 7:08 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
I managed to snatch a brief outing last week to Wimpole Hall. When my son was in better health, he always told me to 'look up' whenever we went out to walk in the woods near our house.
Sound advice I think.
View of the canopy of trees taken from below.
October 21, 2025 at 9:25 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
My daughter just messaged me to ask what I am doing today. My answer was that I am enjoying a day with no home visits and I am wading through paperwork for her brother's annual review.
#Carer #LearningDisability
October 11, 2025 at 12:07 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
I finally found some blackcurrant juice so I could replicate johannisbeere which I enjoyed on my trips to Germany earlier. this year.
Close up of a glass containing a dark red drink.
October 5, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Reposted by Mary Cole
dsa-uk.bsky.social
There's just a few days left for you to take part in our Education Surveys if you haven't already! 🎒

They close on the 30 September.

You can find the appropriate survey to fill out over on our website: https://loom.ly/6YEXDzw
Young boy who has Down's syndrome is sat smiling. He wears glasses and is sat at a desk with a laptop.
September 27, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Reposted by Mary Cole
silverpebble2.bsky.social
I've found research proving that arranging small lovely items like these👇 alleviates PTSD-will be part of my small museums
for mental health wshop Sat 4 Oct
Open to anyone,recorded in full in,3.5 hrs tuition,30% off my Etsy.Earlybird price expires in 4 days:
workshops.emmamitchell.uk/courses/smal...
September 22, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Reposted by Mary Cole
silverpebble2.bsky.social
My new small museums for mental health w'shop is on Sat 4 Oct
Recent compelling research shows that collecting & arranging collections neatly alleviates anxiety & lifts mood.
Includes:
🌿2 hr zoom-we'll make & photograph small museums
🗝️30% off my Etsy shop:
workshops.emmamitchell.uk/courses/smal...
September 17, 2025 at 7:33 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Owls in parks in Edinburgh and Freiburg.
Wooden carving of an owl. It is on a plinth which has the image of two smaller owls carved into it. There are shrubs and trees in the background. Stone carving of an owl. There are shrubs planted behind.
September 7, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Reposted by Mary Cole
adambienkov.bsky.social
Nigel Farage, whose party recently put a teenager with zero work experience of any kind in charge of an entire English county, accuses the government of appointing people "with no knowledge" or experience in charge of Government departments
September 5, 2025 at 12:32 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Yesterday should have been the first day of year 13 for my son, but he's been unable to attend school since March. Due to a decline in health, he now rarely leaves the house. Yesterday was his granddad's 80th birthday and we did manage an outing for celebratory cake.
#LearningDisabilty #SEND
Three plates, each with a cake and fork on them. There is a lemon cake, carrot cake and chocolate cake.
September 4, 2025 at 7:53 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Well, it truly has been a school holiday of two halves this year. Lovely trip with youngest to Freiburg to visit our daughter who was studying there. The rest of the time has been swallowed up with appointments and paperwork for our middle child. #SEND #LearningDisabilty
Historic city gate with a painting of St George and the dragon on one wall. There are branches of trees in the foreground and and tramlines going through the gates.
August 31, 2025 at 1:02 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Rather dreading the new term for a whole host of reasons.
#SEND #LearningDisabilty
August 31, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Reposted by Mary Cole
dsa-uk.bsky.social
Pupils who have Down’s syndrome alongside long-term and complex medical conditions may require ongoing support, medicines or care while at school to help them manage their condition and keep them well.

At the DSA, we have a wealth of resources available on this topic: https://loom.ly/Ok4KK14
A young boy pictured who has Down's syndrome. He wears a blue top and rucksack. he has black hair and wears glasses
August 30, 2025 at 8:00 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
A big shout out to all those getting their results today who are young carers. Juggling the pressures of year 11 alongside caring isn't trivial.
#YoungCarers
August 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Bit of a theme emerging here. Crocodile on the left is in Baden Baden (spotted yesterday) and the other one is in Freiburg.
Large green statue of a crocodile in a park. Statue of a crocodile's head in a stream.
August 20, 2025 at 7:54 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Visiting daughter in Freiburg today. Some quirky statues around the old town.
Statue on a wall by a city stream. It is an image of a face in the style of the Easter Island statues. There are trees around the statue and buildings in the background. Statue of a the head of a crocodile with it's head out of the water in a small stream. Statue of an ammonite fossil on a plinth on a pavement. There are parked bicycles in the background.
August 18, 2025 at 7:36 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Gosh the joy of another SEND parent really getting it. Just been messaged by a friend who wants to ensure her son's birthday cake is safe for my son who is on a medical diet.
#LearningDisability
August 10, 2025 at 7:41 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
What a test series!
#cricket
August 4, 2025 at 11:02 AM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
Greatly enjoying watching the test match. My first ever cricket match I attended was when my Dad took me to see England v India at the Oval in 1979. Some great cricketers on both sides in that match. Very happy that youngest has the cricket bug and it's a joy watching today's match together.
August 3, 2025 at 3:05 PM
dmcricketwidow.bsky.social
This popped up in my my memories today. A bit of peak nerding with youngest last summer when B was at respite.
Bowl of jelly babies on a table next to a Dr Who DVD.
August 1, 2025 at 1:51 PM