Polly Neate

International Women's Day: How to prevent violence against women Writing on International Women’s Day, campaigners call for incentives on public services to prevent violence against women, writes Polly Neate.

On #InternationalWomen'sDay the chair of FGF’s Social Insights Panel, @pollyneate.bsky.social has written an article in @bigissue.com on why a radical shift to prevention is the only way to end violence against women & girls.

#IWD2026

Read Polly’s article 🔽🔽🔽

www.bigissue.com/opinion/inte...

Polly Neate: Charity leadership is getting even harder Polly Neate reflects on recent conversations with sector leaders and says that the pressures they face must be acknowledged…

Polly Neate (@pollyneate.bsky.social) reflects on recent conversations with sector leaders and says that the pressures they face must be acknowledged

Civil society leaders group launches to ‘bring expert insight’ into heart of government

Formal launch and first meeting of the Social Insights Panel today, thanks to @futuregovforum.bsky.social Better Way Network and the Henry Smith Foundation. Read more here ⬇️

www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/civil-s...

False victims: lessons from a campaign victory If a law, a rule, or even a custom shores up power, look at it with suspicion.

New post over on my Substack (subscriptions are free): open.substack.com/pub/pollynea...

I'm truly honoured to have been recommended as a cross-bench peer by the House of Lords Appointments Commission. In this new phase of my life, I will continue to strive for the causes I have believed in and championed throughout my career.

lordsappointments.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/u...

"Creating sustainable social change: in today’s new world, what will it take from leaders across the private, public & civil society sectors?"
With @mds49.bsky.social, @pollyneate.bsky.social, Aline Santos Farhat)
London 01 Oct
www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/news-and-eve... #charities

“Being concerned about immigration doesn’t make you a racist” I’ve read and heard this a few times lately.

Caught @pollyneate.bsky.social latest substack post this morning, sharing in support:

“Being concerned about immigration doesn’t make you a racist”
substack.com/@pollyneate/...

Crisis? What crisis? So large numbers of racist rioting men are also violent to their female partners.

So large numbers of racist rioting men are also violent to their female partners. Who knew?

Well, the entirety of what’s known as the “VAWG” (violence against women and girls) sector knew, for a start…

Want to read more? You can over on my Substack: open.substack.com/pub/pollynea...

Announcing the Social Insights Panel: a new FGF project led by Polly Neate (Picture credit: Honor Elliot)

At @futuregovforum.bsky.social we were delighed to announce our own new initiative alongside the Covenant:

A new 'Social Insights Panel', led by @pollyneate.bsky.social, to bring civil society expertise to bear on x-cutting, 'wicked' challenges

futuregovforum.substack.com/p/announcing...

Really pleased we can announce his today to coincide with the govt’s new civil society covenant - and looking forward to getting cracking with @pollyneate.bsky.social on this next week!

Polly Neate (@pollyneate) Very excited to be helping ensure the government’s public sector reforms have civil society wisdom to draw upon ⬇️

Excited to announce this project with the Future Governance Forum today, in the wake of the government’s launch this week of the Civil Society Covenant and phase 2 of the Test, Learn & Grow approach to public service reform. Check it out on Substack:
substack.com/@pollyneate/...

Black people in England four times as likely to face homelessness, study finds Black people also less likely than white people to get social housing and can face ‘overt racism’ from private landlords

People on the frontline @sheltercharity.bsky.social see the racism of the housing system devastating lives daily. But to get change it’s not enough to know something, you have to prove it. Hence this important work by @heriotwattuni.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Last week I had a powerful experience: a private discussion at @bristoluni.bsky.social of alumni and staff involved in the “Vincent Out” protests of 1986 and their (considerable) aftermath. My reflections on what I’ve learned both then and since are on my Substack: open.substack.com/pub/pollyneate…

The year of great expectations It's a year since the Labour government won its landslide and Keir Starmer became Prime Minister.

One year since the Labour landslide - I’m swimming against the tide with my usual undeterred optimism. Check out my post over on Substack: open.substack.com/pub/pollynea...

Great piece by @sambowman.co in @theguardian.com - though I think you’ll find that the gains from fixing housing aren’t bigger than *anyone* imagined (see pic)😉

www.theguardian.com/books/2022/j...

I wrote on Substack about why leaders should be free to change their minds. In fact, encouraged to when it’s so often the only rational response in our weird world. open.substack.com/pub/pollyneate…

MPs vote to decriminalise abortion in step forward for reproductive rights Amendment to crime and policing bill will change law to end prosecution of women who terminate pregnancies

The biggest step forward in abortion rights for decades. Congratulations ⁦‪@BPAS1968‬⁩ ⁦‪@fawcettsociety‬⁩ and the whole coalition of women’s and medical organisations who supported this www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Charities in the UK and globally are facing the same turbulence confronting pretty much every sector of our society and economy at the moment. | Forster Communications Charities in the UK and globally are facing the same turbulence confronting pretty much every sector of our society and economy at the moment. While it is tempting to view this instability as a relati...

Successful campaigns and clear, ambitious, well communicated organisational strategy are two sides of a coin, not two separate things. I’ve teamed up with Forster Communications to help non-profits get this right.

www.linkedin.com/posts/forste...

Rachel Reeves to unveils £39bn housing boost in spending review shake-up Chancellor promises biggest investment in social and affordable homes in a generation to hit 1.5m target

A big step in the right direction. What a relief. This is the biggest boost to social housing for a generation, a major advance for social justice and a genuine strike against homelessness
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

NHS budget to rise in spending review at expense of other services Though the Department of Health will be the biggest winner next week, health chiefs warn the £30 billion increase may not be enough to meet Labour’s pledges

“NHS budget to rise in spending review at expense of other services”

Let’s hope it’s not at the expense of housing. Homes (or lack of) that make people physically and mentally ill will eat up this NHS investment and more.

www.thetimes.com/article/abb4...

Civil society leader looking ahead to the party conferences? I posted six tips over on linked in: linkedin.com/posts/polly-ne…

And I’ve got lots more tbh

The Guardian view on social housing: invest boldly to tackle ‘simmering anger’ about substandard homes Editorial: Two weeks before the spending review, the housing ombudsman has issued an important warning about a deepening crisis and growing human misery

Spot on from the Guardian.
Wall to wall in yesterday’s news was the ugly sight of the worst conditions in social housing. Part of the irrefutable case for more social homes. More and better. 1. It can be done. 2. Cutting homelessness is impossible without it.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Content warning: feminism This week saw the 10th anniversary of this iconic campaign which was undoubtedly the turning point in the struggle by Women's Aid Federation of England to get the government to throw a financial lifel...

The 10th anniversary of ine of my career campaigning highlights over the last week led me to get all controversial over on Substack open.substack.com/pub/pollynea...

Feeling blue? Daily doses of awe ‘fend off depression and stress’ Everyday moments of awe-inspiring wonder may offer a simple, drug-free boost to mental health, a study suggests

I’ve seen this first hand, in myself and others. I sought out such moments in London. Now I’m in nature every day, they just happen. I’m old enough to remember when those benefits were just assumed and young people who had less access to them were given opportunities
www.thetimes.com/article/fc6d...

Thank you @sheltercharity.bsky.social for inviting me to say farewell to the great @pollyneate.bsky.social and welcome to fab new CEO Sarah Elliott

I’ve been in this building quite a few times in various roles, but today is the first time I’ve ever seen #LarryTheCat - I kind of thought he was a myth. But nope, he’s real - almost tripped over him on the doorstep!

So excited & proud to see these @sheltercharity.bsky.social posters in Westminster station today! You can help ensure a new generation has the opportunities a safe home brings. It’s a right - or it should be.
#InvestInSocialHousing
#HomeIsEverything

campaigns.shelter.org.uk/chancellor-i...

Thanks @alifortescuenews.bsky.social @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social & Paddy O’Connell for being such great company on the Sunday Papers review on Radio 4 this morning. You can listen on catch-up here (45 mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

I’ll be reviewing tomorrow’s papers live on BBC Radio 4 Broadcasting House tomorrow morning, really looking forward to it. Do listen in

Paul Parker (@rcquaker.bsky.social) Recording Clerk of Quakers in Britain

Excellent piece by @rcquaker.bsky.social on suppression of dissent and its dangers for civil society. It’s genuinely a bitter pill for governments that civil society is a vital partner who will also publicly hold to account. Both must be accepted constructively www.civilsociety.co.uk/voices/paul-...