Brian Robson
@brianrobson.bsky.social
I want more people to live in a decent, affordable home. Don't you?
Work: Director Housing & Homelessness, @oak-foundation.bsky.social
Dad, bookworm, sedate cyclist | Mackem in North Yorks | Views mine.
Work: Director Housing & Homelessness, @oak-foundation.bsky.social
Dad, bookworm, sedate cyclist | Mackem in North Yorks | Views mine.
'No one gets where they are without the help of others'.
Five years today since this lovely letter appeared in the New Yorker and it's still pinned up above my desk. Thank you Ken Bates for the reminder of how we're all helped by (and help) folks we never get to meet.
Five years today since this lovely letter appeared in the New Yorker and it's still pinned up above my desk. Thank you Ken Bates for the reminder of how we're all helped by (and help) folks we never get to meet.
November 17, 2025 at 11:24 AM
'No one gets where they are without the help of others'.
Five years today since this lovely letter appeared in the New Yorker and it's still pinned up above my desk. Thank you Ken Bates for the reminder of how we're all helped by (and help) folks we never get to meet.
Five years today since this lovely letter appeared in the New Yorker and it's still pinned up above my desk. Thank you Ken Bates for the reminder of how we're all helped by (and help) folks we never get to meet.
Scenes from a housing crisis. Mostly empty surface car park, couple of hundred metres from a Zone 2 station. Two Foxtons minis parked up.
November 12, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Scenes from a housing crisis. Mostly empty surface car park, couple of hundred metres from a Zone 2 station. Two Foxtons minis parked up.
Strong case for the Nordic welfare model from former Finnish PM Sanna Marin at #LSEEvents tonight, drawing on her own lived experience. Clear eyed about defence, perhaps vaguer about where the trade offs might lie (but to be fair, not her job anymore!)
November 11, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Strong case for the Nordic welfare model from former Finnish PM Sanna Marin at #LSEEvents tonight, drawing on her own lived experience. Clear eyed about defence, perhaps vaguer about where the trade offs might lie (but to be fair, not her job anymore!)
That glass building in shot on #bbcqt while Fiona Bruce talked about Sunderland's rich history of glass making is the National Glass Centre.
In an act of cultural vandalism, Sunderland University intend to close and demolish it next year.
savethengc.art.blog
In an act of cultural vandalism, Sunderland University intend to close and demolish it next year.
savethengc.art.blog
November 6, 2025 at 10:59 PM
That glass building in shot on #bbcqt while Fiona Bruce talked about Sunderland's rich history of glass making is the National Glass Centre.
In an act of cultural vandalism, Sunderland University intend to close and demolish it next year.
savethengc.art.blog
In an act of cultural vandalism, Sunderland University intend to close and demolish it next year.
savethengc.art.blog
Lots of UK coverage of the NYC mayoral race.
But the city also passed four pro-housing charter amendments yesterday - interesting straw in the wind on the politics of housing.
But the city also passed four pro-housing charter amendments yesterday - interesting straw in the wind on the politics of housing.
November 5, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Lots of UK coverage of the NYC mayoral race.
But the city also passed four pro-housing charter amendments yesterday - interesting straw in the wind on the politics of housing.
But the city also passed four pro-housing charter amendments yesterday - interesting straw in the wind on the politics of housing.
My first time over the new Keel Crossing too - makes a significant difference to the geography of the city. Look forward to seeing it on a match day.
November 1, 2025 at 6:09 PM
My first time over the new Keel Crossing too - makes a significant difference to the geography of the city. Look forward to seeing it on a match day.
Trip up to Sunlun today to see my sister's work exhibited at Pop Recs. I'm a very proud big brother 😍
November 1, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Trip up to Sunlun today to see my sister's work exhibited at Pop Recs. I'm a very proud big brother 😍
Personally, I'd vote at Het Schip ⤵️
October 29, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Personally, I'd vote at Het Schip ⤵️
All in for an interesting couple of days at @homelessnetwork.scot's annual conference in the fair city of Perth. Excellent speakers and panel this morning getting things off to a great start 👍
October 27, 2025 at 12:00 PM
All in for an interesting couple of days at @homelessnetwork.scot's annual conference in the fair city of Perth. Excellent speakers and panel this morning getting things off to a great start 👍
Think whoever's in charge of the NHS app could do with providing practices with some guidance on what merits a push notification...
October 20, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Think whoever's in charge of the NHS app could do with providing practices with some guidance on what merits a push notification...
Time we had something similar in the UK? Before - as a nation - we forget that we used to be able to build for folks on low incomes at the scale needed?
(And yes, it was a deeply weird and unsettling time to visit Chicago)
(And yes, it was a deeply weird and unsettling time to visit Chicago)
October 18, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Time we had something similar in the UK? Before - as a nation - we forget that we used to be able to build for folks on low incomes at the scale needed?
(And yes, it was a deeply weird and unsettling time to visit Chicago)
(And yes, it was a deeply weird and unsettling time to visit Chicago)
The Museum exists to preserve, promote, and propel the right of all people to a place where they can live and prosper—a place to call home. It opened earlier this year in the last remaining block of the Jane Addams Homes.
nphm.org/about/
nphm.org/about/
October 18, 2025 at 11:27 AM
The Museum exists to preserve, promote, and propel the right of all people to a place where they can live and prosper—a place to call home. It opened earlier this year in the last remaining block of the Jane Addams Homes.
nphm.org/about/
nphm.org/about/
Last weekend, I had the privilege of visiting the recently opened National Public Housing Museum in Chicago.
Inspirational, and so needed.
Inspirational, and so needed.
October 18, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Last weekend, I had the privilege of visiting the recently opened National Public Housing Museum in Chicago.
Inspirational, and so needed.
Inspirational, and so needed.
Rachel Reeves has gone up in my estimation purely for liking Kramer Books and doing her interview with C4 News there 📚📚📚
October 17, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Rachel Reeves has gone up in my estimation purely for liking Kramer Books and doing her interview with C4 News there 📚📚📚
Very belated share of September's reading, or re-reading.
20yrs since I last read TRTP and shouldn't have left it that long.
Everything else good too, took me a little while to get into the Kilroy but worth persevering with.
20yrs since I last read TRTP and shouldn't have left it that long.
Everything else good too, took me a little while to get into the Kilroy but worth persevering with.
October 15, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Very belated share of September's reading, or re-reading.
20yrs since I last read TRTP and shouldn't have left it that long.
Everything else good too, took me a little while to get into the Kilroy but worth persevering with.
20yrs since I last read TRTP and shouldn't have left it that long.
Everything else good too, took me a little while to get into the Kilroy but worth persevering with.
Nice podcast about the beautiful new building - and what it took to make it happen - here: robinhood.org/news/new-sto...
October 15, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Nice podcast about the beautiful new building - and what it took to make it happen - here: robinhood.org/news/new-sto...
Had my current @fairphone.com for just over two years, and battery beginning to fade quicker than it used to. So I ordered a new battery and now it's good as new :)
October 14, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Had my current @fairphone.com for just over two years, and battery beginning to fade quicker than it used to. So I ordered a new battery and now it's good as new :)
I mean, who among us hasn’t fantasised about spending £1800 per month to live above a pet shop?
September 27, 2025 at 8:58 AM
I mean, who among us hasn’t fantasised about spending £1800 per month to live above a pet shop?
Finished @samfr.bsky.social's book this week. Which is excellent. And this passage -about govts trapped in a Comms game they can't win - feels particularly important.
September 26, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Finished @samfr.bsky.social's book this week. Which is excellent. And this passage -about govts trapped in a Comms game they can't win - feels particularly important.
Not sure if it's the spelling or geographical misappropriation that's worse, tbh.
September 21, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Not sure if it's the spelling or geographical misappropriation that's worse, tbh.
I have a new favourite bus ride.
Wright Brothers' 888 Keswick to Newcastle, over the roof of England. Views for miles.
Wright Brothers' 888 Keswick to Newcastle, over the roof of England. Views for miles.
September 13, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I have a new favourite bus ride.
Wright Brothers' 888 Keswick to Newcastle, over the roof of England. Views for miles.
Wright Brothers' 888 Keswick to Newcastle, over the roof of England. Views for miles.