The homelessness charity St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity has appointed Duncan Shrubsole, policy director at the Lloyds Bank Foundation, as its next chief executive.
Shrubsole will take up the role on 24 June after 10 years as director of policy, research and communications at the Lloyds Bank Foundation.
He succeeds Tim Bissett, who is moving to the top job at St John’s Winchester, which supports older people, after 10 years leading the UK-wide homelessness charity.
Before joining the grantmaker, Shrubsole worked for Crisis, leading on its campaigning, policy and research, communications and best practice work.
In a statement, SMFC said that Shrubsole’s leadership at Crisis had resulted in “securing new funding, strategies, and government policies to address homelessness and rough sleeping”.
It said: “Notably, his efforts led to preventing severe cuts to housing benefits and establishing a significant programme to rehouse thousands of homeless individuals in the private rented sector.”
Shrubsole has also been a civil servant, developing transport and local government policy, and serves as chair of Switchback, a charity that supports young men transitioning from prison to employment, as well as being a trustee of the food bank charity The Trussell Trust. He was previously a trustee of a local Citizens Advice.
Shrubsole said: “Everyone deserves a safe place to call home but far too many are denied this. St Martin’s is unique in providing direct financial assistance to individuals to help prevent eviction or to move on from homelessness, together with support for frontline charities and workers across the UK.
“I look forward to working with staff, trustees, partners and donors to take St Martin’s Charity forward on the next stage of its journey towards tackling homelessness and to maximise its impact.”
Bissett said: “Being the director of the St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity for 10 years has been a privilege and a joy. I have had the opportunity to work with a dedicated and passionate team of staff and volunteers, who have made a difference in the lives of thousands of people experiencing homelessness across the UK.
“I am confident that with Duncan leading the charity will continue to support more frontline workers to ultimately, get closer to achieving our vision of everyone having a safe place to call home and the support they need.”