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David Bocking

@bbobillsmothers.bsky.social
228 followers 66 following 311 posts

It’s Looking A Bit Black Over Bill’s Mother’s - the out there magazine for Sheffield, the Outdoor City. abitblackoverbillsmothers.com

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Sheffield Events @sheff.events · 07/10/2026
Great to see volunteers getting stuck in on the Upper Don 🌳 The University of Sheffield Conservation Society run regular volunteering days too, they might be keen to lend a hand
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Today's Commoner's Muck post for 🏞️🌳🦉🐝🐟volunteers from #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity - Our Friends in the North - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/upper-don-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Upper Don and Little Don
Our Friends in the North.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Today’s post for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity #PeakDistrict: how to run 162 miles in 39 hours, hope for new riverside paths and the lost Bittern of Sharrow - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 27th September 2026
River victories. Lost Bittern. One foot in front of another.
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Dr Jo Maher NHS GP @drjomaher.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Back down to London with the bike, reservation booked ✔️ no crazy hangar hooray! No ramp & v tight getting it into place straps - useful but filthy. Heading to @livingstreets.bsky.social board later - have you seen the excellent video on Making Safe Spaces for Women & Girls? ⬇️ well worth a watch!
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Emma Wilkinson @emmajourno.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Why does Sheffield birth so many Reform-donating crypto-billionaires??? Answers on a postcard please 🫣
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
This week’s 🌸🌼🏞️🦉🗞️ notpaper for #Sheffield #PeakDistrict #TheOutdoorCity - #Rewilding #Wilding #Plantlife #Walking #NatureRecovery & lots more of this kind of thing - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 13th September 2026
Strolling, rewilding and wilding. Plant wisdom. And Secret Seating.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Busy weekend at Bill’s Mother’s 3 - today’s Sunday at Bill’s Mother’s : abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 6th September 2026
Damboosting. Luge talks. Rewilding Sir William. September festivals. Remembering Paul Besley and John Batley.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Busy weekend at Bill's Mother's 2 - Is #Sheffield still England's biggest village? A new 🏞️ post from Commoner's Muck - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/the-big-vi...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
The Big Village
Do we still live in the biggest village in England?
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Busy weekend at Bill's Mother's 1 - Autumn 🏞️🦉🗞️What's On Out There 🌳🚶🚲🏃for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity #PeakDistrict - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/whats-on-o...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
What's On Out There? - Autumn 2026
The news, links and listings post for Sheffield and the northern Peak District.
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Ian Rotherham @ianthewildside.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
What is Native? Where does Nature belong? Reel from one of our upcoming speakers: Steve Head – Wildlife Gardening Forum – garden biodiversity & climate change: youtube.com/shorts/qEtZp... The Wildlife Gardening Forum:
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Today’s post for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity - warm fish, hot butterflies & out there news - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 30th August 2026
Warm fish and damp butterflies. River treasure. Scorched earth at The Manor.
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Living Streets @livingstreets.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Living Streets trustee @drjomaher.bsky.social has shared some easy ways to build more physical activity into everyday life: www.livingstreets.org.uk/JoMaher Jo's also running the @royalparkshalf.bsky.social to raise funds for Living Streets. Please support her here: bit.ly/3Uc2zE5
A photograph of Jo Maher standing in a field next to pink banner that says 'Let's walk!'.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Today’s post: running talk with @e-beardmore.bsky.social , sparing & sharing in #PeakDistrict & #TheOutdoorCity, how much longer will driven grouse shooting last? - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 23rd August 2026
Grouse mores. Festival flowers. Running talk. Sparing and sharing.
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Sheffield Tribune @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Hidden in Ecclesall Woods, lies a gated community so exclusive that you’ve probably never heard of it, even though it's existed for almost a century. You’ve almost certainly never stepped foot inside. In this secluded sanctuary, wing is king.
sheffieldtribune.co.uk
The century-old no man’s land in Ecclesall Woods
What happens when you surrender part of your city to the birds?
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Wardsend Cemetery Heritage Park @wardsendcemetery.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Today! wardsendcemetery.wordpress.com/how-to-find-...
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Hot roadsides, easy eclipsing, slime moulds, 🚲 on 🚃 & wild Wardsend. Today’s 🦉🏞️🗞️ notpaper for #TheOutdoorCity #Sheffield - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 9th August 2026
Hot urban grasslands. Eclipse Wednesday. Chasing down bikes on trams. The beauty of slime moulds.
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Slow Ways @slowwaysuk.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
The brilliant John Scott is just a day away from completing the #SlowWays National Parks Trail challenge! Great to have this coverage in the Times www.thetimes.com/uk/environme... And see our story here buildstories.slowways.org/john-scotts-... Fancy doing the challenge yourself?
Newspaper page from The Times, Monday, August 3, 2026. The main headline reads, “Trailblazer’s 2,300-mile trek links all national parks.” A large photograph shows John Scott, an older, white-haired man with a beard resting on rocks with a walking pole and backpack, overlooking green hills in Scotland. A smaller image shows a Lake District landscape, and a map traces his walking route from Cornwall to northern Scotland.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
The 🏞️🦉🗞️ notpaper for #TheOutdoorCity is #45 & rising in international news, on #Substack anyway. Ta to all our supporters. Latest issue: open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Land & 🔥in the #PeakDistrict / New curlew mural for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity / Counting #NatureRecovery at Shire Brook - today's local 🗞️🏞️🦉notpaper - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 2nd August 2026
Damping down the fires. Call out for Curlew wall. Creature counts.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Thanks @schmoller.net , glad you liked the post.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Thanks @magslhalliday.bsky.social !
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Today's post on #PeakDistrict moorland and grassland🔥for @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social , with @danhayesjourno.bsky.social - 'Best piece I have read on this topic' says one reader - www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/the-peak-dis...
sheffieldtribune.co.uk
The Peak District is on fire. Can we stop it happening again?
‘You’re breathing in the smoke, and it looks and feels post-apocalyptic’
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Sheffield Tribune @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
The Peak District is burning — and where there’s fire, there’s smoke. Given Sheffield’s proximity to the park, it feels inevitable that, if more frequent and severe fires keep happening on the moors, they are going to have an increasing effect on us. The question is, can we do anything about it?
sheffieldtribune.co.uk
The Peak District is on fire. Can we stop it happening again?
‘You’re breathing in the smoke, and it looks and feels post-apocalyptic’
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Sheffield Swift Network @sheffswiftnetwork.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
𝑺𝒘𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒔 - 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒆𝒎 𝒃𝒚 𝑬𝒏𝒊𝒅 𝑱𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔. We are delighted to share a special moment with Sheffield resident Enid Jones, aged 92 reading her heartfelt poem, 'Swifts'.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Today’s packed post: #SouthYorkshire #NatureRecovery, #Sheffield Grand Prix cycling, Graves Park firefighter hound, filming the river Sheaf catacombs, #ParentsforFuture in Ecclesall Woods & lots more - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 26th July 2026
City centre cycling. Our Nature Recovery Strategy. An underground celeb historian, a firefighting treasure dog & more out there news.
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Sheffield Forum @sheffieldforum.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
It was a pleasure to join Prof Alice Roberts this week as she filmed in #Sheffield for a new documentary series... #Sheffield #Aliceroberts #SheffieldHistory #SheffieldForum
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Ian Rotherham @ianthewildside.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Upcoming conference on 'Nature in its Place: What is Native? Where Does Nature Belong?' www.ukeconet.org/nature-in-it... - see the reel below about one of our key speakers: Max Coleman – Wych elms youtube.com/shorts/BNHhg...
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
This week's 🐝🏞️🏃notpaper for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity - open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 19th July 2026
Bugs and Buggies issue. Smartphone insects with Ros Hancock plus Muddy Mother on how to run with toddlers.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Thanks @drjomaher.bsky.social - hope your skies are full!
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Today's 🌳🦉🐝🗞️post for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity #PeakDistrict - Bill's Mother's Book Club with @drjomaher.bsky.social + Peak Swift is here, and so is the South Yorkshire Nature Recovery Strategy. All need your attention: open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 12th July 2026
Peak Swift days are here. Bill's Mother's Book Club in Japan. Have your say on Nature Recovery.
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Sheffield Swift Network @sheffswiftnetwork.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Sheffield's Swifts in Sunday at Bill's Mother's 👇 open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 12th July 2026
Peak Swift days are here. Bill's Mother's Book Club in Japan. Have your say on Nature Recovery.
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Emma Wilkinson @emmajourno.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Today I am grateful for TREES 🌳 Managed a 9 mile run with route aiming for max shade and I reckon I managed at least 60% out of the 🌞 Road, woodland paths and park. Just another reason that Sheffield is the best place to live 🙌
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Seb Schmoller @schmoller.net · 04/07/2026
Common spotted orchid in an unimproved meadow between Barlow and the Dronfield bypass.
Common spotted orchid.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Today’s post for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity - fixing the Blue Loop and species survival celebration - open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 5th July 2026
Green light for Blue Loop. Shire Brook successes. More open gardens. Out There news
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Helen @helenintgarden.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
I can't believe that the Chelsea Road elm tree... in Nether edge #Sheffield... has been chopped down... apparently it finally succumbed to dutch elm disease... 😢 🌳
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
This week's 🌳🐞🦋🗞️notpaper for #TheOutdoorCity: elms of possibility for #Sheffield - open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 21st June 2026
Elms of possibility in Nether Edge. Shire Brook wellbeing, waterway wrangling and Secret Seating 20.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Today's Sunday at Bill's Mother's: the #naturerecovery strategy for #SouthYorkshire is here. An urban wildness special - abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com/p/sunday-at-...
abitblackoverbillsmothers.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 21st June 2026
Our Nature Recovery Strategy is here, at last! Diet planning with finches. Sheffielders count more nature than Manchester. And more out there news.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Latest 🗞️🗞️🐝🏞️🦉🗞️🗞️ post - time to ditch anti-social media & support local news - open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Late Night Final
Read all about it.
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Latest post for supporters of the 🌳🦉🐞🦫🏃🚶🚴‍♀️🗞️ for #TheOutdoorCity - open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Supporters Supplement: 15th June 2026
Our new Supporter's Supplement - with more from our Book Club chat with writer Paul Besley, a daytime look at Nightjars and the first river tourist's view of Sheffield station for 150 years.
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Dr Alexandra Woodall @alexandrawoodall.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Only a few more days to ensure @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social has 1000 more readers by the weekend and can make their pledges to the city - pay what you want for superb and important journalism about our city here www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/help-make-sh...
sheffieldtribune.co.uk
Can you help make Sheffield even better?
Can you help make Sheffield even better? If 1,000 new members join by 21st June, we'll fulfil five pledges to improve the city. But we need your help. Tell your friends, family and colleague...
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Sheffield Tribune @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Only 4 DAYS LEFT in our campaign to add 1,000 members before 21 June so we can fulfil five pledges to make Sheffield even better We have a long way to go - help us reach our goal by signing up as a Tribune member for a price of your choosing - including £0 www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/help-make-sh...
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Ian Rotherham @ianthewildside.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
A Fond Farewell to Sheffield's Famous and Iconic Chelsea Road Elm - please circulate to let people know ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/2026/06/16/a...
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Today's post for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity: meadow railings, the train marathon for #Ukraine, 🦫news & lots more - open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 7th June 2026
Rustling road. Beaver readiness. Five Weirs friends. Rail run.
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Ian Rotherham @ianthewildside.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Gone are the Ox-eye Daisies & Buttercups. From 'No Mow May' to 'Mow Mow June'.... the same roadside verges got mowed today. I wonder what you think? Pretty much zero pollen & nectar, no 'slowing the flow', no significant biodiversity benefit. Also it doesn't look great either...
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Ian Rotherham @ianthewildside.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
A Buzz in the garden!!
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Moors for the Future Partnership @moorsforthefuture.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
We're working in partnership with Yorkshire Water to increase biodiversity. Yorkshire Water is funding a scientific study into how to reduce the dominance of Molinia (or Purple Moor Grass), and thus increase biodiversity. tinyurl.com/4wypa6ce
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Sheffield Tribune @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
For much of the post-war era, councils attempted to “tame nature” by mowing grass all summer long. That approach is now out of fashion, as councils, community groups and the public understand more about the value of biodiversity and letting a thousand flowers bloom. ✍️ @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social
sheffieldtribune.co.uk
Let a thousand flowers bloom
‘You need to make it so that people can actually feel it's their space and they can enjoy it. But you don't need to manicure it to within an inch of its life’
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David Bocking @bbobillsmothers.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Today's 🏞️🗞️for #Sheffield #TheOutdoorCity - open.substack.com/pub/abitblac...
open.substack.com
Sunday at Bill's Mother's: 31st May 2026
River reveal on Platform 5. Badger culls and poisoned pavements. Sorby graveside bioblitz. And lots more.
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Sheffield Tribune @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Sheffield is full of people with great stories to tell. Not all of them get the chance. If we reach 1,000 new members, we’ll launch a new writers’ programme - inviting pitches every two months and working with one writer to get their piece published ✏️
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Roger Butterfield @rogerbutterfield.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) flowering on the roadside in urban Sheffield.
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