Georgie Holmes-Skelton
@georgierose.bsky.social
Dabbler in nature, heritage, climate policy. Head of Government Affairs for a UK conservation charity. Former House of Commons clerk and general purpose nerd. All comments in a personal capacity. She/her
Pinned
Exciting new research from @nationaltrust.org.uk looking at how heritage factor in help combat that sense of decline we’re all feeling https://inews.co.uk/opinion/history-and-heritage-can-help-bring-broken-communities-together-3711180?srsltid=AfmBOoqVmXJnVCCAuyQhHjDiE5iJ7XD3yD_E_doo1aYue-o-F2i1ShCR
History and heritage can help bring broken communities together
Right now there is concern about a lack of cohesion in society and a perceived decline in civic pride
inews.co.uk
Want to pull some key stats and findings from this because I think it should be a bit of a game changer for how heritage is viewed by govt. At the moment tbh heritage doesn’t really feature in policy thinking, other than as something of an obligation to protect or even barrier to development. 🧵
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
Don't miss the deadline to be a Trustee for VWT! For more info and to apply, visit www.vwt.co.uk/vacancies
Photo: ©Robert Cruickshanks
Photo: ©Robert Cruickshanks
January 26, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Don't miss the deadline to be a Trustee for VWT! For more info and to apply, visit www.vwt.co.uk/vacancies
Photo: ©Robert Cruickshanks
Photo: ©Robert Cruickshanks
My childhood home in the 90s was without central heating until my mum had it installed. It was off the gas grid, so we had to get an oil system. I suspect quite a few homes in that village would have been in the same situation.
January 24, 2026 at 9:35 AM
My childhood home in the 90s was without central heating until my mum had it installed. It was off the gas grid, so we had to get an oil system. I suspect quite a few homes in that village would have been in the same situation.
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
The plague of Bath Corgis.
I just found a useful public information booklet. Presumably made by the government in the 10 year olds room.
I just found a useful public information booklet. Presumably made by the government in the 10 year olds room.
January 22, 2026 at 2:04 PM
The plague of Bath Corgis.
I just found a useful public information booklet. Presumably made by the government in the 10 year olds room.
I just found a useful public information booklet. Presumably made by the government in the 10 year olds room.
This report makes it crystal clear that every time a minister (wrongly) complains about newts or bats holding up development what they’re really doing is undermining our security. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/20/biodiversity-collapse-threatens-uk-security-intelligence-chiefs-war
Biodiversity collapse threatens UK security, intelligence chiefs warn
Ecosystem destruction will increase food shortages, disorder and mass migration, with effects already being felt
www.theguardian.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:38 AM
This report makes it crystal clear that every time a minister (wrongly) complains about newts or bats holding up development what they’re really doing is undermining our security. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/20/biodiversity-collapse-threatens-uk-security-intelligence-chiefs-war
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
The IUCN has been quietly behind many of the conservation success stories of the last 77 years — US withdrawal is a worrying sign both of that country’s increasing insularity, and its disregard of the natural world
From Jonathan Jarvis, former Director of the US National Park Service, about the importance of IUCN and why it's a very bad thing that the US is withdrawing after decades of valuable and contructive involvement.
@iucnwcpa.bsky.social @adamiucnwcpa.bsky.social 🌎🌐
@iucnwcpa.bsky.social @adamiucnwcpa.bsky.social 🌎🌐
Withdrawing from International Union for the Conservation of Nature does not serve our interests
Conservation of nature is the pinnacle of soft diplomacy
open.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:59 AM
The IUCN has been quietly behind many of the conservation success stories of the last 77 years — US withdrawal is a worrying sign both of that country’s increasing insularity, and its disregard of the natural world
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
Read this if you want to feel really good about the bravery and decency of regular Americans
slate.com/news-and-pol...
slate.com/news-and-pol...
What Trump and ICE Are Doing in Minneapolis Is Obvious. They Don’t Seem to Grasp What’s Happening Instead.
ICE declared war on Minneapolis. The city had its own ideas.
slate.com
January 17, 2026 at 5:43 AM
Read this if you want to feel really good about the bravery and decency of regular Americans
slate.com/news-and-pol...
slate.com/news-and-pol...
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
This year has been brutal for the #climate movement.
Rollbacks, repression, & outright denial, especially in the US, have made progress feel fragile & uneven.
Which is exactly why it matters to pause & look back at what did move forward in 2025.
Here are 12 real wins 🏆, one for each month 🧵⬇️
Rollbacks, repression, & outright denial, especially in the US, have made progress feel fragile & uneven.
Which is exactly why it matters to pause & look back at what did move forward in 2025.
Here are 12 real wins 🏆, one for each month 🧵⬇️
January 1, 2026 at 9:09 AM
This year has been brutal for the #climate movement.
Rollbacks, repression, & outright denial, especially in the US, have made progress feel fragile & uneven.
Which is exactly why it matters to pause & look back at what did move forward in 2025.
Here are 12 real wins 🏆, one for each month 🧵⬇️
Rollbacks, repression, & outright denial, especially in the US, have made progress feel fragile & uneven.
Which is exactly why it matters to pause & look back at what did move forward in 2025.
Here are 12 real wins 🏆, one for each month 🧵⬇️
Though of course actual public benefit here from dodgy LLMs trained on stolen content and loosed into the public with few safety rails highly questionable in the first place.
December 31, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Though of course actual public benefit here from dodgy LLMs trained on stolen content and loosed into the public with few safety rails highly questionable in the first place.
They’re gonna do to Chat GPT what they did to google search and bury the content that seem useful to people (regardless of its actual accuracy) under ad content. The familiar cycle of “oh cool we built something that might have broad public benefit. Now let’s undermine it so we can monetise it”.
“This could look like a user asking how much ibuprofen to take for a headache receiving a promoted ad for Advil in the chatbot’s response. Meanwhile, actual results on correct dosage may be brushed to the side, or buried under a mountain of ad text…”
OpenAI Reportedly Planning to Make ChatGPT "Prioritize" Advertisers in Conversation
OpenAI employees working on ChatGPT report plans to unleash sponsored advertisements above organic results.
futurism.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:11 AM
They’re gonna do to Chat GPT what they did to google search and bury the content that seem useful to people (regardless of its actual accuracy) under ad content. The familiar cycle of “oh cool we built something that might have broad public benefit. Now let’s undermine it so we can monetise it”.
The fact that most sales seem to start sometime mid December now must play apart in this.
December 26, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The fact that most sales seem to start sometime mid December now must play apart in this.
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
Ugh, imagine how excited an illustrator would’ve been to work on this (especially one with some kind of person connection to the topic), and it wouldn’t have been expensive, instead a BBC producer just typed prompts about an enslaved woman hiding in the woods, looking sad in a ship, etc
this is an incredible and very touching story but unsure what the BBC felt those weird AI images added to it?
December 23, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Ugh, imagine how excited an illustrator would’ve been to work on this (especially one with some kind of person connection to the topic), and it wouldn’t have been expensive, instead a BBC producer just typed prompts about an enslaved woman hiding in the woods, looking sad in a ship, etc
lol. I usually try and avoid commenting on all the nonsense but this is genuinely funny.
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:01 PM
lol. I usually try and avoid commenting on all the nonsense but this is genuinely funny.
If there’s anything I can do to help do drop me a line. I’ve not been involved in civil service recruitment for a while but I do a fair bit of recruitment in the charity world and don’t mind looking over CVs/cover letters etc if you want a second opinion.
December 10, 2025 at 7:56 AM
If there’s anything I can do to help do drop me a line. I’ve not been involved in civil service recruitment for a while but I do a fair bit of recruitment in the charity world and don’t mind looking over CVs/cover letters etc if you want a second opinion.
🫂 It’s really tough out there - I’m sure it’s not just you, but a case of really high competition with loads of people in similar boats. And totally feel you on how much work connects into confidence - it’s a massive part of our lives. It’s really hard to not be doing something that feels meaningful
December 10, 2025 at 7:54 AM
🫂 It’s really tough out there - I’m sure it’s not just you, but a case of really high competition with loads of people in similar boats. And totally feel you on how much work connects into confidence - it’s a massive part of our lives. It’s really hard to not be doing something that feels meaningful
Hey I’m sorry you’re having a rough time. We’ve not really spoken before but saw this post and just wanted to say that however you feel right now I am 100% certain the world is a better place with you in it, so I personally hope you stay around. Hang in there. ❤️
December 10, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Hey I’m sorry you’re having a rough time. We’ve not really spoken before but saw this post and just wanted to say that however you feel right now I am 100% certain the world is a better place with you in it, so I personally hope you stay around. Hang in there. ❤️
I assume WI and Girlguides are making these decisions because they fear legal action. It just makes me so deeply sad to see these outcomes for trans women who are only seeking belonging and community.
The first gender reassigned surgery in the UK was in 1951. She would be over 100 today and lived as a woman for 60+ years. Telling these women they are no longer welcome in the WI is brutal, as they themselves admit. These are our regressive times. #transrightsarehumanrights
Women’s Institute will no longer accept trans women as members from April
December 3, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I assume WI and Girlguides are making these decisions because they fear legal action. It just makes me so deeply sad to see these outcomes for trans women who are only seeking belonging and community.
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
Don't miss the latest edition of @batconservation.bsky.social fantastic podcast #BatChat and find out about hidden roosts and 50 Years of VWT.
🦇 New episode of our podcast #BatChat is out now! Pencelli’s Hidden Roost — 50 Years of the @vincentwt.bsky.social .
Listen in your usual platform or on your browser here: batchat.buzzsprout.com/680561/episo...
Listen in your usual platform or on your browser here: batchat.buzzsprout.com/680561/episo...
Pencelli’s Hidden Roost — 50 Years of the Vincent Wildlife Trust - BatChat
In this episode of BatChat, we explore the 50-year history of the Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) and its vital role in bat conservation. I speak with CEO Lucy Rogers about her role with VWT, the organis...
batchat.buzzsprout.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Don't miss the latest edition of @batconservation.bsky.social fantastic podcast #BatChat and find out about hidden roosts and 50 Years of VWT.
Whammed by my builders before December even arrives 😔
November 27, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Whammed by my builders before December even arrives 😔
Someone in the OBR web team is having one hell of a bad day
BREAKING The entire Budget has leaked early
- £22BN of headroom
- £26bn tax rises
- Freeze on tax thresholds
- Pay per mileage confirmed
- Changes to capital gains
- £22BN of headroom
- £26bn tax rises
- Freeze on tax thresholds
- Pay per mileage confirmed
- Changes to capital gains
November 26, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Someone in the OBR web team is having one hell of a bad day
One of the most impactful conservation charities you've never heard of. Their handprints are all over huge UK nature successes such as otter recovery, pine marten reintroduction to England and Wales, and recovery of rare bat species. I'm so proud to be a trustee for this brilliant organisation.
As part of its 50th Anniversary, VWT has launched its '50 Years' Impact Report. As well as a look back over the past 50 years, this report looks forward to the work that still needs to be done to make a difference for threatened mammals in Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe. ➡️ bit.ly/3LzSOLG
November 13, 2025 at 9:07 AM
One of the most impactful conservation charities you've never heard of. Their handprints are all over huge UK nature successes such as otter recovery, pine marten reintroduction to England and Wales, and recovery of rare bat species. I'm so proud to be a trustee for this brilliant organisation.
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
NEW – Analysis: Fossil-fuel CO2 emissions to set new record in 2025, as land sink ‘recovers’ | @hausfath.bsky.social @pfriedling.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/F4rY1GP
Read here: buff.ly/F4rY1GP
November 13, 2025 at 12:01 AM
NEW – Analysis: Fossil-fuel CO2 emissions to set new record in 2025, as land sink ‘recovers’ | @hausfath.bsky.social @pfriedling.bsky.social
Read here: buff.ly/F4rY1GP
Read here: buff.ly/F4rY1GP
Reposted by Georgie Holmes-Skelton
📢 I'm hiring!
I genuinely think these are some of the best policy jobs in the charity sector. Be part of a brilliant team having huge impact, working on some of the most important issues for nature, climate and heritage.
Shout if you'd like a chat.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
I genuinely think these are some of the best policy jobs in the charity sector. Be part of a brilliant team having huge impact, working on some of the most important issues for nature, climate and heritage.
Shout if you'd like a chat.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
National Trust hiring Public Policy Officer x 2 in Swindon, England, United Kingdom | LinkedIn
Posted 4:15:05 PM. **Important notice** In line with our redeployment policy, we’ll prioritise applications from…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.
www.linkedin.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:19 AM
📢 I'm hiring!
I genuinely think these are some of the best policy jobs in the charity sector. Be part of a brilliant team having huge impact, working on some of the most important issues for nature, climate and heritage.
Shout if you'd like a chat.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
I genuinely think these are some of the best policy jobs in the charity sector. Be part of a brilliant team having huge impact, working on some of the most important issues for nature, climate and heritage.
Shout if you'd like a chat.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...