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Freya Barnes

@freyabarnes.bsky.social
1.7K followers 2.6K following 262 posts

I do PR & storytelling for social change. Comms counsel to charities, think tanks & public figures. Previously Engage Britain, Shelter. Nature & politics. Weird about The Beatles. Aspiring goat owner🐐 freyabarnespr.co.uk

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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
Please send wishes to my friend who has gone home for Christmas this evening to a peach, cheese and pork pie salad.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Good morning. Have you, like me, just realised your 'quiet week' now contains 11 meetings, endless redrafts and a migraine? Please take ten minutes with your favourite mug to sit in the sunshine. It will make everything so much easier to face
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Genuinely devastating that such a courageous woman couldn't bear the toll of her experiences in the end. So many abuse survivors are still tragically failed. We need to do so much better at understanding it, and holding abusers accountable. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
theguardian.com
Virginia Giuffre, Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew accuser, dies aged 41
Giuffre’s family issue statement confirming she killed herself at her farm in Western Australia
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
So excited to dive into this new @ianleslie.bsky.social book. I've always found the Lennon McCartney relationship endlessly fascinating, touching, extraordinary in its impact on the world. Glad that finally their story is being properly told.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Seeing a great PR lobbying response from the charity sector to the latest welfare cut proposals - advocacy doesn't have to be months in the making 🧵 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
PIP benefits: 'Worrying' number of teens lose payments at age 16
More than 124,000 young people have had claims for adult disability benefits refused, the BBC finds.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
At a time when we all need a little more positivity, it was lovely to help get this story into the Guardian. So many third sector leaders have a fascinating backstory about why we're doing what we do and why the things that matter to us matter. We should be telling them! gwitness.org/41uBGev
gwitness.org
A moment that changed me: I was 16, gay and bullied for it. Then my father wrote to the Guardian …
Britain in the 90s seemed to see homosexuality as something shameful. My father told the world how proud he was of me
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
Why do some campaigns fail to shift public opinion, while others break through? Research last week from @moreincommonuk.bsky.social shows progressive activists (like me and lots of you) are less likely to collaborate with political rivals than other groups. That’s a huge problem 🧵
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Have I found the loveliest coffee place to work from in London?
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
Winter in this country is absolutely unacceptable and I don't know why we all continue to put up with it.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
This is not only horrendous for the journalists but will make it so much harder for the paper to report on important social issues - and for us charity PR people to get our stories over the line.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
Sometimes you just can't beat a good hut.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
A blow out celebration for the end of January instead of the beginning of it.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Twitter is a mess. We all know it. That’s why most of us aren’t there anymore. I saw this quote in Politico today and, very painfully, being in charity comms and campaigns I have to agree. Twitter still shapes headlines. Politicians and bad actors use it to push narratives. So what do we do?🧵
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 26/01/2025
I see there are still far too many people online desperately trying to have edgy opinions about The Beatles. Can't we all just be allowed to enjoy the things we enjoy?
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
The way Prince Harry has taken on the tabloids is nothing short of heroic. I hope there's some reflection from broadcast media here about how often their talking points are still set by unreliable press stories. Our media ecosystem has to change in so many ways. www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/prin...
independent.co.uk
Tom Watson praises 'predator' Prince Harry as Sun owner offers ‘full apology’
Lord Tom Watson described the Duke of Sussex as a "predator" in a statement after Prince Harry settled his legal action against News Group Newspapers (NGN), who offered a “full and unequivocal apology...
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James O’Brien @mrjamesob.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
So that’s the Mirror & Murdoch down, only the Mail to go. And people still wonder why UK newspapers are so vile to Prince Harry & Meghan…
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Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 20/01/2025
Everyone excusing Elon Musk’s behavior due to his alleged autism should be chased into the sea with pitchforks it’s both profoundly insulting to autistic people and also obviously not true
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 18/01/2025
Daft Saturday post but it's It's Winnie the Pooh day today and bear with me (pun intended), but here's why I love him as a role model for aspiring thought leaders 🧵🍯
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Heather Paterson @heatherpaterson.co.uk · 18/01/2025
Zoe Amar: What does Meta’s fact-checking announcement mean for your charity? www.thirdsector.co.uk/zoe-amar-doe...
thirdsector.co.uk
Zoe Amar: What does Meta’s fact-checking announcement mean for your charity?
The move signals that the political climate charities are working in is becoming more politicised and antagonistic
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
The simple pleasure of a cup of coffee, a blank page and an unexpectedly sunny day. Even January can have its moments..
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Has anyone managed to overcome the overwhelming urge to hibernate in January? Please share tips
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Pawel Swidlicki @pswidlicki.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
The flippant/snarky tone of Playbook works better for Westminster village nonsense than for child sex abuse
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 30/12/2024
Happy twixmas from this very soggy cow
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 25/12/2024
What a view to wake up to on Christmas morning! Have a wonderful day all - and love to anyone for whom this is a difficult time of year.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 20/12/2024
All my life I will never forget seeing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr playing together. It's every Beatles fan dream Christmas gift. I'm overjoyed
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Seeing Macca for the second time and can decisively say he is a god
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
Had a brilliant evening watching the UK preview of A Complete Unknown at the BFI. Timothee Chalamlet is astoundingly good. 10/10. Would recommend to a friend
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
Worth listening to the News Agents today (as ever). V effective campaigning by Chris Packham, who's never afraid to ruffle feathers to get people talking. And a good discussion on boycotting & where to draw moral lines. This podcast is invaluable for these sorts of exploratory conversations.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
First time I've seen the sun in a week and it's fucking glorious
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
For all talk about the rise of the far right, it's reassuring to see the British public by and large aren't having it
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
I’ve helped steer a few well known charities through a crisis - they can be defining moments for an organisation. But I've noticed so many charities don't have even the basics in place - a crisis management group, a procedure, any sort of guidance. 🧵
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
This is very depressing. Our laws are not only Draconian, but out of step with public opinion - new polling shows 64% of British people support environmentalism. It makes zero sense to be coming down so hard on activists protesting peacefully for our planet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Britain leads the world in cracking down on climate activism, study finds
Research shows UK police arrest environmental and climate protesters at three times the average global rate
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
Been a Beatles fan since I was very small, and the absolute joy this week of seeing Paul McCartney in Paris.. honestly I've only just recovered enough to speak about it..
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
I've worked with charities for a decade and know the invaluable contribution their research & policy plays in shaping political solutions, rarely credited. Then there's the frontline work which literally saves lives every day. Their role in keeping our country afloat is consistently underestimated.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
This is quite a thing
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
What a sky..
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
I'd be really interested to know if this is happening for UK publications too. If so it's a very obvious incentive for all major media outlets to have a strong social presence on this platform.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
Being by the sea makes even the gloomiest of days feel beautiful
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
What an absolute dream it would be to see golden eagles flying around the skies of England. I'm so nerdily excited about this! www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
South of Scotland Golden eagle project plans England expansion
A conservation project is looking to build on its success by taking the birds into England and Wales.
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Post you from a different era (1996 - sulky teenager)
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
I'm spending less and less time in the bad place and there little to be said for it, but I do still appreciate seeing misogynists getting very publicly destroyed
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
I've been followed by so many fab third sector folk lately thanks to being included in a starter pack and thought I'd share the love around. So here's one of all the people out there shouting about social change - my fellow third sector comms people and campaigners go.bsky.app/DBMtM8Y
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
It's so nice on here! We should all take a mental snapshot of these young, naïve days of the Bluesky eutopia to remember fondly when it inevitably becomes a bin fire.
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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
I can tell Bluesky has really taken off because my effort to create a #StarterPack for *everyone who works in and around UK charities* suddenly seems a bit ambitious 😆 Onwards! 💪 Lmk if you want to join! #Charity folks: Pack 1 go.bsky.app/7dPWqWQ #Charities folk: Pack 2: go.bsky.app/QWpFmRe
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
I don't miss Twitter one bit .. with the exception of its trending feature. It was such a useful way to understand which news stories, events of the day were important to people, and get a snapshot of different opinions. Pls make this happen Bluesky ! 🙏
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Chairman Moët @chairmanmoet.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
I'm sorry but go fuck yourself
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Have to say there are generally far more photos of mushrooms than I expected on Bluesky.. but I like it !
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Carol Vorderman @carolvorders.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
Here’s a good one to multi block some wrong ‘uns… this is how it works 1 Select the list 2 Click “Subscribe” 3 Select “Block” the entire list in one click Boommmm Bluesky is trying to keep this place tidy with healthy debate Let’s help them to do it 👍🏼👍🏼💙💙 bsky.app/profile/did:...
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
For third sector comms people, campaigners and anyone else with an interest - here's a starter pack of political commentators inside the media and out. Unfortunately I can't remove myself from this (!) - rest assured I don't have delusions of grandeur go.bsky.app/5pRUojK
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Freya Barnes @freyabarnes.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
Big decision by the Guardian to no longer post on X and v good news for Bluesky. The more big media outlets we can get over here the more successful this community will be.
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