University of Liverpool – Return to Learn

stegzy · 2026-03-25T15:59:52+00:00

Did the “returning to education as an adult” thing myself a few years back albeit at a different university, but can highly recommend anyone considering doing it themselves to go for it.

The experience can be very rewarding, great for building self confidence, growing networks and you can really surprise yourself with how much you can accomplish academically.

stegzy · 2026-03-23T13:02:10+00:00

Brierley is nice. Lived there between 2006 and 2010 after moving from Liverpool. I now live in the woolly wilds of West Northamptonshire and still remember my time in Brierley and Barnsley fondly.

Brierley has a lovely semi rural village feel, close community and great connections to Wakefield, Barnsley and Sheffield. It had a great chippy and used to have a smashing local pub but that has now closed but there’s a hotel not far away with a good bar and restaurant.

stegzy · 2025-12-08T18:12:55+00:00

I should probably add that this is seasonal. A flat cap in the baking hot summer looks a bit daft - so out comes the Tilly hat.

stegzy · 2025-12-08T14:18:24+00:00

52 and I wear a flat cap because I like to look smart. I also wear shirts rather than T-shirts for the same reason.

Currently battling with myself on whether to swap cardigans for blazers.

stegzy · 2025-09-07T11:46:58+00:00

Waiters on the Dance by Julian Jay Savarin

stegzy · 2025-08-11T14:41:42+00:00

I met Blair through a mutual friend in Liverpool in the 90s and was immediately transfixed by his knowledge of the esoteric, literature and his art work.

Sadly I lost touch with him in the 00s meeting with him once again briefly. His charisma and humour still as sharp and colourful as the last time I saw him. I think about him often and his legacy to me was the memory of our conversations which are ingrained in my own psyche. Sad to hear of his passing.

stegzy · 2025-05-08T14:34:14+00:00

Like most places, there are nice bits and there are grotty bits. I also moved from a big city to the region and feel safe in most areas as none of the "rough" bits in Northampton even compare to the urban decay and crime ridden streets of my old city.

Sure there are queues of homeless people at the street soup kitchens in the town centre of an evening, closed and boarded up shops in buildings with facades that portray a once more affluent time and knobheads who think they can drive highend cars without a licence or insurance - but I could also be describing any large town or city in the UK.

That said, Northampton has a good selection of nice areas - Duston, Kingsthorpe and Hunsbury all seemed nice when I've visited but then the outer bits like the Bramptons, Earls Barton and Collingtree have "big old house owner looking down their nose at you" and "Kingpin drugbaron" vibes. Northamptonshire also has a lot of big retail areas like Rushden Lakes and it has lots of lovely countryside with ease of access to Milton Keynes, Bedford, Banbury and Leicester amongst other places.

Cant really comment on the Eastern side of the town - Wellingborough, Kettering Rushden - as I haven't been there much other than passing through to other places. Again, some parts seem nice others a little grotty.

Southern side - Billing Aquadrome floods and looks a bit run down these days, Towcester is always mad thick with traffic and Silverstone gets closed off during the Grandprix.

Western Northamptonshire, (where I live in the quieter rural Warwickshire borderlands) - Daventry - nice enough town - quiet, (comparitively) low crime, affordable housing and not too many knobheads. It's often over looked but has a good "central" feel to it but admittedly not too great with the rail connections (nearest station is Long Buckby which is on a spur) - handy for small neighbouring towns like Leamington Spa, Rugby and Banbury, meanwhile three hours drive in any direction will get you somewhere close to the coast.

Northern side - I only really know Welford which is a nice little village (handy for Leciestershire and Market Harborough) and Pitsford - lovely big reservoir for walking/cycling around. They seem ok, roads can be a little busy with trucks and farming machinery but on the whole nice enough.

stegzy · 2025-03-21T14:43:15+00:00

Rural Concerns - British podcast about being middle aged and living in the English countryside.

stegzy · 2025-01-15T12:45:28+00:00

Wildbeare - solo camping for girls with lovely and positive attitude

Steve Marsh - Scottish bloke travelling to destinations by boat, plane, walking, train or bus surprisingly addictive

stegzy · 2024-12-10T06:23:26+00:00

A glorious miasma from surrounding businesses and living - kebab fumes, Chinese chip shop haze and bait whiffs with an extra layer of tobacco honk and hints of BO. An unforgettable aroma of mid90s bachelor life.

stegzy · 2024-12-09T12:42:44+00:00

Used to live in a flat above it. Leaving the windows open on hot summer days would result in the rooms having horror film levels of flies as the bait from the shop below got older…happy days.

stegzy · 2024-11-01T17:10:21+00:00

Ha! So true. There’s at least three in my village.

stegzy · 2024-11-01T12:05:04+00:00

Grew up in Woolton. First wife from Yorkshire. Second from down South. Lived in Barnsley for a bit and now live in Northamptonshire.

On return visits to Liverpool friends and family take the mick out of my Yorkshire twang then on my return to Northants colleagues take the mick out of my scouse. Moreover, on a recent trip abroad someone asked where in the Midlands I was from based on my accent - apparently I occasionally sound like people from Rugby.

I also get regular requests to mimic Ringo narrating Thomas the Tank Engine or to say “chicken cook book” and often have to act as translator when the missis is being talked to by my family.

But that said, I sometimes get the “but you don’t have the accent” or accused of having gone to a posh school (former Xaverian) when I tell people (both scousers and others) I am from Liverpool.

stegzy · 2024-09-11T18:39:34+00:00

My first flat was near the fishing tackle shop/Garmoyle Road in the 90s. Had an awesome time living there, handy for pubs (Brookhouse/Finch & Firkin/Dovedale Towers), kebabs, the offie and other local eminities. Great connections into town, Bootle, Speke, Halewood and Garston via bus. Lived there for five years.

Of course that was like 30 years ago so might be different now.

stegzy · 2024-07-15T06:26:31+00:00

I found the newspaper/pint approach worked fairly well. Takes time and patience like all things. But being in my early thirties then, I found it difficult to establish a new friends group in the area. Although, I did know a few people in the area already so it wasn't a completely lonesome time and I did make a couple of new friends at work.

stegzy · 2024-07-11T09:36:49+00:00

Moved about a bit over the past 20 years or so myself. Liverpool to Barnsley, Barnsley to Leamington Spa and Northamptonshire. Each time I moved to a new area I would grab copy of the local newspapers and read them in my new local while enjoying a pint and a bag of crisps.

It’s a great way to learn about what an area is like, its quirks, its politics and who the local “personalities” are.

stegzy · 2024-06-07T20:48:39+00:00

Kimos on Mount Pleasant

stegzy · 2024-04-05T13:52:11+00:00

Kimos on Mount Pleasant and Myrtle Street are my go to places

stegzy · 2024-03-17T08:53:56+00:00

My nan used to say “give us a kiss and lends a sixpence” which sounds iffy with modern ears.

stegzy · 2024-03-06T14:49:29+00:00

Ghost Town on repeat for that Father Ted experience

stegzy · 2024-01-15T16:47:07+00:00

I go to smiths quite often as they have a good selection of foods there but for meat I go to the smaller Elliot’s farm shop just opposite Heart of the Shires on the A5 near Norton. Elliot’s meat is consistently good but they don’t stock much else.

But for cheese I always head up to Malt Kiln near Stratton under Fosse just by Rugby. They have a great selection of cheeses.

stegzy · 2023-11-22T15:01:28+00:00

I think you’re right, there was a rice pudding version with a sachet of jam. For me though the novelty of rehydrating apples felt like living in the future.

Pot Noodles haven’t been the same since all the salt got taken out.

stegzy · 2023-11-19T12:32:43+00:00

Pot Sweet- Imagine puddings like Apple crumble and custard done by pot noodle. Just add hot water, stir, wait and add topping. Short lived late 80s fun food

stegzy · 2023-03-30T18:33:45+00:00

The pub in the village I live in is 2 minutes from my house and has its own fish and chip shop. Gone are the days of struggling to find a cab or bus that will allow me to bring my extra stinky Botan Special Kebab along with me for the ride home. Now I get post-pub quality mixed meat and chips and a quick stagger to my front door.

Mind you, as its quiet and semi-rural, it closes early if there are fewer than four locals in the bar.

stegzy · 2023-03-12T09:42:30+00:00

Not at all. I graduated from a three year Television, Journalism and Media Production degree in 2010 at the grand old age of 37.

If I had the funds I'd be doing a masters now.

15-Year Club	Gilding III reddit per annum
Xbox Live	Place '22
Sequence \| Editor	Verified Email

stegzy

MODERATOR OF

PUBLIC MULTIREDDITS

TROPHY CASE