Mr Joe Jenkins
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mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Mr Joe Jenkins
@mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1.3K following 160 posts
Exec Dir @childrenssociety.bsky.social; prev Vice Chair @refugeeaction.bsky.social; hubby, dad, spare human for pup; and everything here is all me
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mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Don’t look away …

www.childrenssociety.org.uk/good-childhood

Children’s wellbeing is still in decline. We cannot allow this to be our normal, it is time for change.  

Read the full report now
Photo of a teenage girl wearing a grey top and white trousers sitting on a chair with her arms around her knees. White text overlayed: ‘Children’s average happiness was significantly lower than when the survey started for all six aspects of life.
October 24, 2025 at 7:44 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Ok so it still has impact - so crucially I wanted to know from the data if the UK were to abandon net zero targets & climate change act & were to aggressively mine North Sea fossil fuels would this reduce energy bills?

Answer: No - now or in future; if anything, it will drive up bills in long term
An “all-in” fossil fuel strategy—even if net-zero targets were scrapped—would not meaningfully lower UK energy bills in the short, medium, or long term. The dominant drivers remain global wholesale gas prices and network charges, while green levies form a relatively small share of total bills
October 17, 2025 at 11:49 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Accepting we’re still at higher end, I looked at claim that the most significant driver of higher energy bills in the UK relates to the goal of net zero and/or green subsidies and/or UK action on climate change; this didn’t hold up - it’s material but far from biggest cause
Net-zero and green subsidies contribute materially to UK energy bills—around one-eighth of total costs—but they are not the predominant driver. Wholesale market prices and network charges represent a far larger share. Assertions that climate action is the single biggest cause of high UK bills overstate the scale of policy levies by a factor of two to three
October 17, 2025 at 11:49 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Firstly Coutinho states repeatedly that UK has most expensive energy bills in world; exploring global comparison sets, there seems to be no supporting evidence - we’re at higher end but not top
There is no evidence supporting the notion that the UK has the most expensive energy bills worldwide. It is one of the higher-cost markets, especially within Europe, but several small economies and other major European nations exceed UK rates both per kWh and in annual spending
October 17, 2025 at 11:49 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
From @thetimes.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:39 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Flying the flag is a great reminder of England’s remarkable multicultural history - England’s Patron Saint St George was a migrant, born in Turkey, dying in Palestine

I’m sure everyone flying the English flag appreciates our rich heritage as a country embracing people from around the world
Graphic poster styled like the St George’s Cross. A bold red cross on a white background divides the image into four quadrants. Top left: the word ‘LEGACY’ above a simple beige map with coastline lines. Top right: ‘OPENNESS’ above a beige open door with light rays. Bottom left: ‘VALOR’ above a beige shield containing two footprints. Bottom right: ‘EMPATHY’ above two clasped hands. Across the bottom, large red text reads: ‘OUR PATRON SAINT WAS A MIGRANT. OUR COURAGE IS TO WELCOME
August 27, 2025 at 12:36 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Great to visit the Sutton Community Uniform Shop with @itvnews.bsky.social as part of @childrenssociety.bsky.social ongoing campaign to cut the cost of school uniforms
Still from itv news of Joe Jenkins Children Society at a uniform shop
August 26, 2025 at 6:20 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Populism may be on the march again

But we’ve seen it all before

We’ve beaten it before

We’ll beat it again
A beige poster titled “The Populist Playbook” lists ten tactics used by populist movements in bold black text. The title appears in large white capital letters on a red banner at the top. Below it, the subtitle reads “Ten Timeless Tactics” and the tagline says “Same Tricks. Different Century.” The numbered list includes: Divide the Crowd, Claim the People’s Will, Attack the Elites, Stir Up Emotions, Promise Easy Solutions, Undermine Institutions, Flood the Zone, Wrap in the Flag, Play Identity Politics, and Pose as Outsider Hero. At the bottom, a red banner displays the call to action: “We’ve beaten it before. We’ll beat it again.” in bold red capital letters.
August 25, 2025 at 6:20 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
“Not all truths are equal, however sincerely believed”

Greatly enjoyed latest by one of my favourite British authors
@jonathancoe.bsky.social - multi-layered, multi-genre, reflection of our times against backdrop of Truss lettuce period; making serious points while always keeping sense of fun 👏🏻
Book cover of Jonathan Coe’s “The Proof Of My Innocence”
August 8, 2025 at 5:14 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Mariah showed up for the LGBTQ+ community & brought the emotion at #BrightonPride #PrideInThePark
August 3, 2025 at 8:53 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Love is love

Good vibes at #BrightonPride 2025
“We are not afraid to love” at Brighton Pride parade “No closets no shame no apologies” at Brighton Pride parade “Sober is our superpower” at Brighton Pride parade “Fire doesn’t discriminate neither do we “ at Brighton Pride parade
August 2, 2025 at 11:40 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Yessss!!!

Awesome England - well done #Lionesses - continuing to inspire a generation
July 27, 2025 at 7:25 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Best festival in the world, no others can compete, this weekend or any other! #youngcarersfestival #ycf2025
Young person writes “the festival makes me feel seen and understood!” Photo of tent at young carer festival Photo of 4 volunteers at festival Young person says “I wish I could be my own age”
June 29, 2025 at 8:33 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Responding on behalf of @childrenssociety.bsky.social

“We urgently need a bold joined up child poverty strategy to tackle the root causes. This Autumn MUST bring more than short term fixes and deliver lasting change for children”

#spendingreview
“This Spending Review was a chance to invest in children’s wellbeing, but this doesn’t hit the mark. Teenagers are in crisis and the response so far simply isn’t enough. It is good to see a SEND White Paper promised in the Autumn, but it must come with funding and decisive action, it cannot end up gathering dust like other reviews and recommendations from the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Extending free school meals to families on Universal Credit will make a real difference, but with 4.5 million children still growing up in poverty, we urgently need a bold, joined up child poverty strategy to tackle the root causes. This autumn must bring more than short term fixes and deliver lasting change for children.”
June 11, 2025 at 6:32 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
This cartoon comes to mind every time I hear fiery rhetoric placing all the blame for our problems on “Others”
Cartoon of 3 men at a table; old white man has a plate full of cookies; he turns to another white man in a hard workers hat who only has one cookie on his plate and points to a sad looking man of colour with an empty plate: “careful mate - that foreigner wants your cookie!”
May 13, 2025 at 6:58 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Where we start in the game of life will materially impact our chances of success

Too many children find themselves disadvantaged from Go …
May 10, 2025 at 8:34 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Nice shout out for @childrenssociety.bsky.social #LondonMarathon runner Jessica on the tellybox!
April 27, 2025 at 9:40 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
I always admired Pope Francis’ consistent and insistent message to love and include everyone as though they were our brothers and sisters, particularly his unwavering support for refugees and migrants
Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves
April 26, 2025 at 8:09 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
“Appeasement is a diplomatic negotiation policy of making political, material, or territorial concessions to an aggressive power with intention to avoid conflict”

Didn’t work before, won’t work again
Photo of Winston Churchill with quote “an appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last”
April 4, 2025 at 7:03 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Saddened to hear another story of a young person waiting TWO YEARS for mental health support shared on #BBCQT by this dad

Seems to be cross-party support for open-access hubs like those we run @childrenssociety.bsky.social - so let’s get them scaling up, children can’t wait any longer
Photo of man on tv show BBCQT
March 27, 2025 at 11:36 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Delighted to open our brand new @childrenssociety.bsky.social shop in Keswick today - thanks to amazing staff colleagues & volunteers; we received a warm welcome & already raising lots of much needed funds to help more children
March 20, 2025 at 7:56 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Thrilled @childrenssociety.bsky.social merging with Lifting Limits to launch a pioneering programme designed to ensure children are not held back by rigid ideas around what they can achieve based on their gender
Photo of children in a primary school class with a quote from Mark Russell CEO at The Children’s Society “stereotypes aren’t just harmless and outdated- they’re barriers to success”
March 11, 2025 at 6:35 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Ok pancake day let’s do this 🥞
March 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
Just look what happens when you give young people a dream, an aspiration and a goal …

Congratulations @ezracollective.bsky.social
on richly deserved win & inspiring speech championing crucial role of youth clubs
March 2, 2025 at 8:04 AM
mrjoejenkins.bsky.social
After years of campaigning, so pleased that A new offence of Child Criminal Exploitation will be introduced next week as part of the government’s #CrimeAndPolicingBill - an important measure to directly increase protection of children at risk of exploitation

More from @markrusselluk.bsky.social ⬇️
“This new offence is a vital step forward. A standalone crime of child criminal exploitation will finally shift the focus onto perpetrators, not victims. For too long, adults who groom children into criminal activity – forcing them to hold drugs or launder money or commit theft – have evaded accountability. Charges such as drug possession ignore the core truth; these are child abusers exploiting vulnerable young people. To protect the 14,500 children identified at risk last year – and the thousands more unseen – these measures must be backed by three pillars; strong enforcement, training for safeguarding professionals and a statutory definition of child criminal exploitation to help end the postcode lottery in victim support. This is how we break cycles of harm: punish the exploiters, prioritise the victims, and put child safety first.”
February 23, 2025 at 9:42 AM