Crisis is delighted to announce that previous Chief Executive, Jon Sparkes, has been awarded an OBE for his services to homeless people.  

Jon led Crisis for seven successful years before leaving to join The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) in January 2022. During his time here, Jon was instrumental in political successes to tackle homelessness across Great Britain, including supporting the Welsh and Scottish Governments to adopt plans to end homelessness for good, and the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act in England - one of the biggest changes to homelessness legislation the country has seen for years. 

Alongside this, under Jon’s leadership, Crisis achieved extraordinary growth in income which enabled Crisis’s services across Great Britain to help more people than ever before to rebuild their lives and leave homelessness behind. 

These remarkable achievements have transformed the lives of people experiencing homelessness across the country and will leave a lasting impact for generations to come.  

Matt Downie, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “I’m thrilled that Jon Sparkes has been awarded an OBE – it is hugely well deserved. During his time at Crisis, Jon worked tirelessly to not only improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness who Crisis supports but to see changes implemented, so that one day we can say that homelessness has been ended for good. 

“At the heart of this award is Jon’s drive and determination to ensure that homelessness and the solutions needed to end it are better understood and as a result countless lives have been changed because of this.  

“I, and everyone at Crisis, are hugely grateful to have shared in Jon's expertise over the years, and we're delighted to see him receive this recognition.” 

 
Jon Sparkes, UNICEF UK Chief Executive, said: “I am truly delighted to be recognised in this way. It was a privilege to be part of the Crisis team over the last 7 years working to end homelessness, by working alongside thousands of people experiencing homelessness and working with governments and colleagues from across the homelessness, housing and local government sectors to put in place policies and plans to end homelessness in the UK. I am pleased to accept the OBE both as a recognition of my own contribution and more importantly as a recognition of the amazing work of my former colleagues at Crisis.”