Phil Groom
LightNews LightNews
banner
philgroom.bsky.social
Phil Groom
@philgroom.bsky.social
600 followers 670 following 590 posts
Boats, books, canals, chocolate, coffee, church and the South West Coast Path. Previously known as notbovvered on Twitter. Green, trying to be greener. Prostate cancer survivor: men, get yourselves checked, the risk is real!
https://philgroom.wordpress.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
philgroom.bsky.social
Any #PeakyBlinders fans out there? Here’s your chance to win a bundle of stuff, courtesy of #Hive (hard to believe that Hive aren’t here yet, hopefully they’ll catch on soon)
#BookSky
www.hive.co.uk/competitions...
Photo of a Peaky Blinders merchandise bundle, including the official book, a board game, flat cap, silk scarf, Garrison Tavern glass tankard and journal.
November 29, 2025 at 8:29 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
It’s worse than this: they’re giving the megawealthy a tax break… 😕
Screenshot of a post by Ed Davey on Facebook: I wish I was surprised. Buried in this Budget is a plan to slash the Digital Services Tax, giving a multi-billion tax cut to US tech giants and the likes of Elon Musk. That's right, cutting taxes for the world's richest man while hiking them for millions of hard-working Brits.
November 29, 2025 at 4:50 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
#Love…
www.facebook.com/615667786553...
Screenshot from Whispers of Grace on Facebook: Love isn't tidy. Love isn't pink hearts and glitter glue. Love isn't the soft-focus ending of a film where everyone smiles on cue. Love is fire that warms and scorches. Love is the prophet's cry for justice. Love is Hosea choosing faithfulness again. Love is Ruth walking dusty roads with Naomi and refusing to leave her alone. Love is Mary saying yes with a trembling voice and Joseph staying when everything felt impossible.
November 26, 2025 at 5:43 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
#RealityCheck from @krishk.com on how our taxes are spent, a breakdown via the BBC of £100 — “sometimes the loudest issues aren’t the largest ones.”
www.facebook.com/512206476/po...
Screenshot of part of Krish’s post: £22 → NHS £6 → Defence £10 → Education £10 → Debt interest £11.40 → State pensions £4.15 → Working-age welfare (PIP, Universal Credit, health support £0.50 → Asylum system £0.70 → Overseas aid What strikes me most is this: immigration dominates headlines and public debate, consistently ranking as one of the nation's top concerns - yet the asylum system accounts for just 0.5% of public spending.
November 24, 2025 at 8:35 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
Clearing out a few books 📚 …yes, I know, dreadful, but gotta be done to make room for the new ones. Open to reasonable offers. We’ll start with The Mishnah, £50, more details on Farcebook marketplace:
www.facebook.com/marketplace/...
Photo of The Mishnah: black hardback book with gold lettering on the spine Title page of The Mishnah: THE MISHNAH TRANSLATED FROM THE HEBREW WITH INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF EXPLANATORY NOTES By HERBERT DANBY, D.D. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
November 22, 2025 at 2:49 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
Just bagged a copy of @h3nrymartin.bsky.social’s #DogLeadsToGod at #HalfPrice in the #DLTBooks #Christmas #Sale! All books on both websites now 50% off with the promo code Xmas25: don’t miss out!
www.dltwritingforyou.com
www.dltbooks.com
#BookSky #Christian #LGBT #Spirituality ✝️
Sale ends 31 Dec
Left hand side: Picture of a dog standing next to a Christmas tree and a stack of presents Right hand side: Front cover of Henry Martin’s book “Dog Leads to God: 52 Divine Lessons from your Canine” Legend beneath the pictures: A delightful mutt-read for dog lovers and spiritually curious readers alike-an uplifting invitation to reflect on companionship, both Divine and canine! Christmas snow globe above the message: Christmas Sale Apply offer code XMAS25 at checkout to get 50% discount on any title listed on our website. **Valid until December 31st**
November 22, 2025 at 10:22 AM
philgroom.bsky.social
Spotted in a shop window in #Newbury t’other day. For anyone who can’t read it: “Autism: nature’s way of offsetting the excessive number of boring people on Earth”
#Autism
T-shirt on display in a shop window with the legend: “Autism: nature’s way of offsetting the excessive number of boring people on Earth”
November 12, 2025 at 10:39 AM
philgroom.bsky.social
Personally, I rather like this one…
Close-up of Christmas jumper featuring the magi and a crib scene above the legend, “REJOICE IN THE BIRTH OF A BROWN-SKINNED MIDDLE-EASTERN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT”
November 10, 2025 at 7:42 AM
philgroom.bsky.social
#Church ✝️ — what it is and what it isn’t: two snippets from
@revjonswales.bsky.social
on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/697032594/po...
Screenshot from Facebook post: "The widow with her two small coins was not efficient. The ragged crowds Jesus drew didn't fit a brand. When you measure success in numbers instead of faithfulness, you trade the kingdom for a spreadsheet. And when you prize the wealthy donor above the broken addict at the back, you've already lost the gospel.” Screenshot from Facebook post: “Church is not your curated story. It is the messy, living testimony of a people remade by grace. It is truth over optics. It is people over performance. It is the last, the least, the lost-not liabilities, but sisters and brothers."
November 9, 2025 at 9:19 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
Anyone irresponsible enough to vote for Reform/Farage belongs in these with him…
Photo of medieval wooden stocks for the punishment of criminals.
November 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
It’s easy to hate, much harder to pray, but maybe that’s where our pets can come in handy: while they play, we can pray 🙏
Photo of “Pet Hate” dog toy mannequins of Nigel Farage, Elon Musk and Donald Trump in a department store Christmas gift display.
November 5, 2025 at 4:04 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
Wow! Just WOW!!!
From the #CatholicTruthSociety on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/100069645813...
#Catholic #Mary ✝️
Screenshot of part of the CTS post on Facebook: "Given the necessity of explaining Mary's subordinate role to Christ in the work of Redemption, it would not be appropriate to use the title "Co-redemptrix" to define Mary's cooperation. This title risks obscuring Christ's unique salvific mediation and can therefore create confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of the Christian faith, for "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). When an expression requires many, repeated explanations to prevent it from straying from a correct meaning, it does not serve the faith of the People of God and becomes unhelpful." (MPF, 22)
November 5, 2025 at 11:56 AM
philgroom.bsky.social
Well said Zack! #BoycottIsrael
Screenshot from article: 'Strengthening our trade relationship with an apartheid state as they have committed an active genocide is horrific' - Zack Polanski, Green leader
November 3, 2025 at 9:58 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
What could possibly go wrong indeed… 😕
Screenshot of error message: Sorry, that isn't a valid geni.us link. The link you followed appears to be incorrect or misspelled: Are you the publisher? Most links fail due to a misspelling in a parameter name or extra characters added to the end of the URL. If everything looks good to you and the link still is not working try clearing your cache or using a different browser or device. Try testing the link one last time and if all else fails then contact us.
November 3, 2025 at 4:29 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
'So much about God becomes clearer when we consider not just the birds or the lilies but also the dog trotting alongside us,’ writes @h3nrymartin.bsky.social

dlted.substack.com/p/for-the-lo...
White text against an autumnal backdrop of someone walking a dog, the dog looking up expectantly towards the person: For the love of dog 'So much about God becomes clearer when we consider not just the birds or the lilies but also the dog trotting alongside us,’ writes Henry Martin.
October 31, 2025 at 5:50 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
I was just wondering how you were doing. Here’s to a smooth recovery — don’t try to rush things. In the meantime, since you can’t post your own at the moment, here are some flowers from Devon (Coleton Fishacre to be precise).
A spray of small blue flowers from the gardens at Coleton Fishacre. Blue Leadwood aka Ceratostigma if my phone is identifying them correctly.
October 29, 2025 at 4:47 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
This, friends, is why I’m a member of @greenparty.org.uk — because this is what it’s all about: ending poverty by building a new social order. Join us: join.greenparty.org.uk

(Image shared by a friend on Facebook)
Text on a coloured background: “The poor are a by-product of the system in which we live and for which we are responsible. They are marginalized by our social and cultural world. Hence the poverty of the poor is not a call to generous relief action, but a demand that we go and build a different social order.” Father Gustavo Gutiérrez
October 27, 2025 at 7:27 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
This, methinks, has @zackpolanski.bsky.social @greenparty.org.uk written all over it. C’mon y’all: join the #HopeRevolution — join.greenparty.org.uk

(image borrowed from a friend on Facebook)
Quote from Raymond Williams against a backdrop of the sun rising over a calm sea. "To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing." Raymond Williams
October 27, 2025 at 10:56 AM
philgroom.bsky.social
Beware the #WinterFuelPayment scammers. Here’s some helpful advice from #Which? Worth passing on to any pensioners you know who may be vulnerable:
www.which.co.uk/news/article...
Partial screenshot from https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/pensioners-warned-to-stay-alert-as-winter-fuel-payment-scams-soar-alMox9s1afL0 - follow the link for more info. How is the Winter Fuel Payment paid? Changes over the last year have presented fraudsters with the opportunity to persuade people that they need to submit new information to get the WFP. Retirees do not need to provide personal information via text or email and the DWP will never ask for bank details via text message. Most eligible individuals will receive the payment automatically without needing to claim. People will get a letter in October or November saying how much they will get. A claim is only needed if you have deferred your state pension and don't get any other benefits.
October 24, 2025 at 3:38 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
#FREE will writing services for #NHS staff via Accord Legal Services. What’s not to like? Spread the word amongst any NHS workers you know!

www.accordlegalservices.co.uk/partners/fre...
Screenshot of https://www.accordlegalservices.co.uk/partners/free-wills-for-nhs-staff/ Text: “Accord Legal Services are proud to be offering FREE WILLS for our NHS staff and other Key Workers as a way of saying thank you for all their hard work throughout the pandemic. For more information contact Accord today on 01744 807048 or email info@accordwills.co.uk” Picture: Cartoon depicting a group of NHS staff including doctors, nurses and orderlies.
October 21, 2025 at 4:25 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
A lesson that we all — self included — need to learn, methinks… but are we ready to hear it? (and yes, I acknowledge the irony of offering it…)

www.facebook.com/100044635740...
Screenshot of the opening paragraph of a Facebook post by Tullian Tchividjian: “I've learned (the hard way) that unsolicited advice rarely lands. In fact, it's almost always rejected-sometimes quietly, sometimes defensively. You can't force anyone to see what they're not yet ready to see. You can't rush someone's awakening. You can't talk someone into clarity, conviction, or healing.”
October 19, 2025 at 5:16 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
Just had an old friend contact me to say that his daughter has just joined. It’s time to party, people: @greenparty.org.uk
💚💚💚💚💚
Stylised text of the word PARTY in gold-spangled letters on a background of exploding colours.
October 14, 2025 at 9:46 AM
philgroom.bsky.social
Live near a #Co-op with a #Costa Express machine? Don’t miss out: one day only, regular size coffee only £1!
Available to all, Co-op membership not necessary.
Screenshot from the Co-op app featuring a Costa Express takeaway cup emblazoned with a red £1 label and the legend, “Today only: £1 Costa at Co-op”
October 14, 2025 at 9:35 AM
philgroom.bsky.social
Just finished this. Hilarious. Grab yourself a copy and enjoy 🙌
#TheLittleOldLadyWhoBrokeAllTheRules
#CatharinaIngelman-Sundberg
#BookSky
Photo of the paperback edition of “The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules” by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg
October 5, 2025 at 8:40 PM
philgroom.bsky.social
Be aware when shopping at #Lidl. This was at the #Newbury store a couple of days ago, reported to a member of staff who seemed indifferent, said they’d report it to head office the next day, so hopefully fixed by now… (yes, I disconnected immediately).
Screenshot showing Intercept X scan results for Free WiFi at Lidl < Back Intercept X FreeWiFi@Lidl Potentially malicious activities detected SSID: FreeWiFi@Lidl BSSID: 14:eb:8:f8:b9:83 First scan: 1 October 2025 at 18:40 Last scan: 1 October 2025 at 18:41 ISSUES FOUND SSL stripping active (Tap to learn more.)
October 3, 2025 at 1:32 PM