Our latest member journal has just appeared. Lots of interesting content with a #Hertfordshire connection. Does anyone recognise the little lad on the front cover? Only ยฃ9 for digital membership. #ancestry #familyhistory

Things cats do for avoiding me
๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

#bell #catoftheday #caturday #Hertfordshire

Lovesongs from the North vol. 2

Listen at home from Fri Sep 05
www.brokendownrecords.bandcamp

Listen live at The Horn, St. Albans The Sep 25
https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/civil-villains-the-kelts-johny-the-horn-tickets/14503103
25% discount with the code JNC25

#music #indie #livemusic #stalbans #hertfordshire #uk #gig #bandcampfriday

The Cathedral from Verulamium park, St. Albans

#Hertfordshire #StAlbans #Heritage #Verulamium #History #Park #Nature #NikonZ50
Feargal Sharkey accuses Environment Agency of illegally draining River Lea

Fishing club chaired by singer threatens court action over abstraction it says is putting rare trout population at risk

The Guardian

Chesney Hawkes (who for many years I thought was American) meets the #hawk that menaced many villagers in #Hertfordshire and was named after him after being captured and rehomed..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c04rvg4q1gqo

Chesney Hawkes meets namesake Flamstead hawk

The pop star says it is the "pinnacle of his career" to meet a famous hawk that shares his name.

BBC News

#DataCentres to be expanded across #UK as concerns mount

by Zoe Kleinman & Krystina Shveda
8/14/2025

"Data centres, like this one #Google is building in #Hertfordshire, are becoming a more familiar sight across the UK
The number of data centres in the UK is set to increase by almost a fifth, according to figures shared with BBC News.

"Data centres are giant warehouses full of powerful computers used to run digital services from movie streaming to online banking - there are currently an estimated 477 of them in the UK.

"Construction researchers Barbour ABI have analysed planning documents and say that number is set to jump by almost 100, as the growth in artificial intelligence (#AI) increases the need for processing power.

"The majority are due to be built in the next five years.

"However, there are concerns about the huge amount of energy and water the new data centres will consume.

"Some experts have warned it could drive up prices paid by #consumers.
More than half of the new data centres would be in London and neighbouring counties.

"Many are privately funded by US #TechGiants such as Google and Microsoft and major #investment firms.

"A further nine are planned in Wales, one in #Scotland, five in #GreaterManchester and a handful in other parts of the UK, the data shows.

"While the new data centres are mostly due for completion by 2030, the biggest single one planned would come later - a ยฃ10-billion AI data centre in #Blyth, near #Newcastle, for the American private investment and wealth management company #Blackstone Group.

"It would involve building 10 giant buildings covering 540,000 square meters - the size of several large shopping centres - on the site of a former #BlythPowerStation.

"Works are set to begin in 2031 and last for more than three years.

"#Microsoft is planning four new data centres in the UK at a total cost of ยฃ330 million, with an estimated completion between 2027 and 2029 - two in the #Leeds area, one near Newport in #Wales, and a five-storey site in Acton, north west London.

"And Google is building two data centres, totalling ยฃ450m, spread over 400,000 sq m in north east London in the #LeeValley water system."

Read more:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyr9nx0jrzo

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/GukDh

#NoNukesForAI #WaterIsLife #ElectricityUsage #WaterUsage #TechBros #Capitalism #BigTech #BigTechIsWatchingYou #Datacenters #chatbots #InvestmentFirms

Data centres to be expanded across UK as concerns mount

The number of data centres is set to jump by a fifth in the coming years, figures seen by the BBC suggest.

BBC News