Before setting out on my own as a consultant, I had a career spanning over 30 years in housing associations. As a director at L&Q, I founded and led its support division to many achievements, with over 150 staff, 2,500 support service users, £15m turnover and some 4,500 homes occupied by vulnerable people. It was commended by the Audit Commission during its audit of L&Q.
At L&Q I gained hands-on experience of various mergers including some high-profile organisations that had failed under challenging circumstances. I took over all the support and care operations of these organisations, working towards the onward assignment of contracts while urgently ensuring a basic safe level of service.
Before L&Q, my career included community arts before turning to social housing. I have the Chartered Institute of Housing qualification, and have been a Fellow (now Chartered Member) of the CIH for very many years.
I have sat on both sides of the boardroom and was formerly a board member and chair for some seven years of the Clapton Community Housing Trust, helping it recover from Housing Corporation supervision, complete its estate regeneration programme and steer it through to viability as a subsidiary within the Guinness Partnership.
Other board memberships have included the Housing Corporation’s advisory board on vulnerable people, representing support providers on the London Councils’ SP Lead Officers’ Forum, founding member and first chair of the G15 Support and Care Group. I have appeared on a number of platforms over the years, speaking on stock transfers, support, and organisational and service development.