Strategist coach mentor. Paraclimber, writer, speaker. Former CEO Shelter & Women’s Aid. NED @YWTrust @Womeninsport_uk @WessexLMCs CBE FAcSS LLD(hc)
London
Joined February 2011
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Polly Neate retweeted
On #InternationalWomensDay the chair of FGF’s Social Insights Panel, Polly Neate has written a @BigIssue article on why a radical shift to prevention is the only way to end violence against women and girls
#IWD2026
Read Polly’s article here 🔽🔽🔽
bigissue.com/opinion/interna…
Polly Neate retweeted
When will we realise we can't keep rerunning the same tired old strategies in new clothes and expecting different outcomes. Only radical reform is going to change the direction of travel.
New @Shelter research shows the changes government is planning won’t stop dramatic increases in child homelessness - causing untold misery and costing the taxpayer billions. Billions which could be invested in the solution. #BuildSocialHousing theguardian.com/news/2025/ap…
Polly Neate retweeted
Solving the housing crisis requires combining rights-based approaches with a missions framework. Housing should be treated as a common good, retrofit, distributed, and built sustainably. Our piece with @leilanifarha & @cityofsound for @Shelter's call for greater investment in social housing builds on our work at the @CouncilOnUrban.
Read the piece ➡️ england.shelter.org.uk/profe… 1/3 🧵
Polly Neate retweeted
Couldn't agree more; OK, most mobility aids could do with a design overhaul (I have wheels that light up at the front of my wheelchair so that's cool), but they *give* us more freedom rather than taking it away
Polly Neate retweeted
Build more social homes - its good for health, tackling poverty, families, prosperity, people, the economy, society and of course tackling homelessness. Simple. Build more now!
🏘️ | NEW REPORT: A combination of welfare reforms, rising numbers of children in the private rented sector and a lack of investment in building social housing has led, and will continue to lead, to increasing child poverty, unless the government acts.
ippr.org/articles/homes-chil…
Polly Neate retweeted
Work to do. The PM has promised to reset the relationship with civil society and build a new partnership. Meanwhile, Streeting caught on camera says he wants to 'break the culture' of voluntary sector lobbying, and they are stakeholders, not partners. dailymail.co.uk/news/article…
Polly Neate retweeted
🎧 @LHRouse & @andyricketts are joined by @WandaWyporska & @pollyn1 to lift the lid on the year ahead
thirdsector.co.uk/third-sect…
Polly Neate retweeted
This should be WELL worth a listen. ⬇️
What an opportunity to discuss the charity sector, its future and its challenges with @WandaWyporska for the @ThirdSector podcast this week. Listen here ⬇️ thirdsector.co.uk/third-sect…
Polly Neate retweeted
Honoured to speak about the importance of #volunteering & the difference it can make in our communities as well as the challenges of #homelessness & how small acts of kindness can change lives for the better. Thank you @BBCr4today @scouts: let’s make 2025 the year of #kindest 🫡
Listen back to the UK's Chief Scout @DwayneFields talk about his guest edit on @BBCSounds now 🔊
bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0kbsf…
Polly Neate retweeted
The actual best job in civil society is available. It could be you ⬇️ england.shelter.org.uk/what_…
Polly Neate retweeted
🎉 Join the AHI's Friends’ Scheme to support positive change to people, projects & policy in homelessness, through arts.
Get thank-you gifts like celeb-created postcards 🎨✨
Email [email protected] to join & #SendASmile! #AHIFriends linktr.ee/artsandhomelessint
Polly Neate retweeted
As unsexy as it is, #counciltax reform is an obvious way of making our tax system fairer & better. If @Keir_Starmer heeds the call in our letter below, @SoumayaKeynes can you invite us to hat-eating? @liambyrnemp @JonathanBrash @grahamemorris @AndrewDixonARC @pollyn1 @vincecable
This week's @FT piece is about that sexy topic...
...council tax revaluation!!
Despite being outdated and unfair, I explain why reform isn't going to come any time soon.
1st 300 clicks free to read.
on.ft.com/3NFxAJZ
Polly Neate retweeted
One aside from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report not widely picked up. The panel has concluded that the reason for cladding Grenfell was aesthetics, not insulation. Really does emphasise how this was a story about class.
Polly Neate retweeted
In an emergency like this we need new social housing that we simply buy, new social housing converted from empty buildings, and new social housing we build too.
Real investment in all these things from the Government, right now, including loads in what bears fruit most quickly.
Yet another homelessness record broken: huge rise in families trapped in temporary accommodation. We all know the answer. The government definitely knows. It’s all about creating political will to #BuildSocialHousing and only public pressure can do that mirror.co.uk/news/politics/f…
Polly Neate retweeted
Domestic abuse is the second most common reason for loss of the last settled home. There is no equality, no career development for women trapped in TA as result of VAWG. @LabourHousing @fawcettsociety @Southerndas @GosportLabour1
Yet another homelessness record broken: huge rise in families trapped in temporary accommodation. We all know the answer. The government definitely knows. It’s all about creating political will to #BuildSocialHousing and only public pressure can do that mirror.co.uk/news/politics/f…
Polly Neate retweeted
Sad to see Polly Neate stepping down from Shelter. She was an absolute godsend for reporters - always interesting, always had a line, always shed light on the charity sector
thirdsector.co.uk/charities-…
Polly Neate retweeted
We fully support @Shelter campaign to scrap the Benefit Cap, which unfairly penalises women who need to flee domestic abuse
We @Shelter know that domestic abuse is one of the leading drivers of homelessness. Survivors have nowhere safe to flee, and this plus the cost often traps them with their abuser. The government must urgently deliver social homes, and scrap the Benefit Cap
Polly Neate retweeted
We fully support @Shelter in their call for the Benefit Cap to be scrapped and more social rented homes to be built. So many women and children are trapped in dangerous situations because they can't afford to flee or have nowhere to go.
We @Shelter know that domestic abuse is one of the leading drivers of homelessness. Survivors have nowhere safe to flee, and this plus the cost often traps them with their abuser. The government must urgently deliver social homes, and scrap the Benefit Cap
Polly Neate retweeted
🟣 The last panelist Poly Neate @pollyn1, CEO at @Shelter highlighted the need to embrace concept of subversive humanitarianism by making services an humanitarian act.
Poly shared about the need for Charities to fight for trust as people’s disenchantment is a key element that hinders trust, so there is need to rebuild trust and mutuality among people who are in disarray by allowing ourselves as organisations to be led by the people and not leading them. This involves listening to the people rather than being their voice. Building local trust and relationship building.
Poly while reflecting on the role of big charities such as @Shelter reflects on the amplification and working in partnership as well as the recognition of different roles.
#VSVR
🔵 Will McCallum @WillGreenpeace, Co-executive Director at @GreenpeaceUK shared about the need to address social change from a reputational and radical position for the maintenance of local relevance.
To a tackle the awkwardness of organising for change, Will highlights the need to address the weakness in working with people at the grassroots. Will shared ongoing activities of @GreenpeaceUK such as the creation of local groups to organise local campaigns- social changemakers and online activism.
Will highlights👇
— There is the need create the journey for people to engage in individual activities without engaging in a top-down approach or telling people what to do.
— Developing a people-led strategy where people represents their own concerns instead of Greenpeace led (De-canvassing and decentralising). This includes building individual powers.
#VSVR24
