Our spokespeople

JENNY EDWARDS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Within months of becoming chief executive of Homeless Link in 2004, Jenny Edwards started her social justice campaign for homeless people. Since then she has been the driving force behind the ambition to see our country free from homelessness. She regularly challenges Government departments, and national and local politicians to play their part in achieving this ambition. She also challenges services to raise their game to end homelessness in their area. She led the discussion and debate on this goal with homelessness charities around the country, which led to it becoming a sector wide goal.

Two and a half years ago Jenny set out her vision that we could end rough sleeping by the time the Olympics come to Britain in 2012. She recognised that in the past Olympics hosts have swept homelessness out of sight for a few weeks. She told the Government that, given successes so far, the UK could be more ambitious. Since then she has consistently worked to encourage the Government, the Opposition and the Mayor of London to raise their aspiration and sign up. She is an acknowledged expert on homelessness, social housing and improving life chances for the most excluded, demonstrated by her many advisory roles including the Mayor’s London Housing Forum, the CLG Advisory Panel on Housing Reform, the Housing Corporation’s Housing for Vulnerable People Advisory Group, Caninet Office reference group on Adults facing Chronic Exclusion and now Chairs the Advisory Panel to the Conservative Party’s Homelessness Foundation.

If you would like to interview Jenny or discuss an issue with her on the phone, please contact the press office on 020 7840 4425 or 07881 921476.