The Homelessness Prevention Forum is a cross-sector (Public and Third sectors) group that meets quarterly in Leeds to coordinate the efforts in the city to house and support homeless people, as well as preventing homelessness.

Forum Central is the collective voice for the health and care third sector in Leeds, delivered in partnership by Leeds Older People’s Forum and Volition.

I am the Third Sector Representative on the 'Same Day Response Delivery Care Board' of the Leeds NHS Integrated Care Board. I work across sectors to voice the concerns of charities in Leeds around issues of health and wellbeing service provision.

One of 8 founders, then one of 4 Directors. Just Housing was a Social Enterprise which provided quality, affordable housing for disadvantaged people.

I was the Chair of the board of trustees at the Community Land Trust Network, the official charity supporting Community Land Trusts in England and Wales. NB Trustee then Vice Chair since 2019, became Chair in November 2021.The National CLT Network provides funding, resources, training and advice for CLTs and work with Government, local authorities, lenders and funders to establish the best conditions for CLTs to grow and flourish.

I was a co-founder, and from January 2018, was employed as the CEO, of Leeds Community Homes. Leeds Community Homes is at the heart of a People Powered Homes revolution. The market is failing to supply the homes that people need, so we will build, renovate and help people to create affordable housing, involving communities at the centre of the process. People call this “community-led”, and “collaborative” housing. We see the desperate need for affordable housing in society, and in a time of climate crisis, we are committed to environmental sustainability. As a Community Land Trust we will acquire land and buildings to create affordable homes. Through our successful community share issue of 2016/17, we partnered with Leeds City Council and private developer Citu to agree the provision of 16 affordable homes in the Climate Innovation District. We have recently had planning permission for our Mistress Lane scheme of 36 units in Armley. We are also in the process of registering as a Registered Provider with the Regulator of Social Housing and Homes England. This will enable us to access funding to develop and manage affordable housing over the next five to ten years and beyond, and partner with groups. As a Community Benefit Society we have the flexibility to raise finance from a wide range of sources, and own assets. As a Community-led Housing Enabler Hub, we are supporting community groups to progress their own housing ambitions. In some cases the two activities of CLT and Hub come together, as we develop plans to work closely with groups to build the homes they want. We now cover West and South Yorkshire. This is a large area with significant Community-led Housing activity and growing demand for our services. We are in contact with 25 groups, all at different stages of progress. As we help groups progress, our own pipeline of schemes grows, in a mutually beneficial, growing model of asset development and revenue creation.

People Powered Homes (PPH) is the wholly owned subsidiary of Leeds Community Homes (LCH), launched on 1st April 2021. PPH is a non charitable company which will undertake the enabler hub, consultancy and development functions of the group, as well as movement growing and lobbying. The market is failing to supply the homes that people need, so we help people to create and improve housing, involving communities at the centre of the process. People call this “community-led”, and “collaborative” housing. We see the desperate need for affordable housing in society, and in a time of climate crisis, we are committed to environmental sustainability. We have a comprehensive range of skills and expertise within our staff team and network of associates. Our governance arrangements are sound and we have significant experience of managing people, contracts and housing developments. As a Community-led Housing Enabler Hub, we are supporting community groups to progress their own housing ambitions. In some cases the activities of LCH and PPH come together, as we explore plans to work closely with groups to build the homes they want. We now cover West and South Yorkshire. This is a large area with significant Community-led Housing activity and growing demand for our services. As we help groups progress, the LCH development pipeline of partnership schemes will grow, in a mutually beneficial, growing model of asset development and revenue creation for community benefit.

We Can Make is developing a replicable and scalable way for citizens and communities to create affordable housing at point of need, with a particular focus on high-disadvantage low-density neighbourhoods. WeCan Make are now building the practical legal, planning, financial tools needed to deliver in the pilot neighbourhood, Knowle West, Bristol. This phase of the project is being funded by Power to Change and the Nationwide Foundation. I support the development of the project on a ‘sounding board’ to help:· inform strategic thinking· test emerging ideas· understand the learning generated through the project· connect We Can Make with wider policy, practice and networks in the housing and community sectors.

I led the team at Locality that delivers support to Neighbourhood Planning groups in England, and helps Locality members and others to engage in Community-led Housing.

Locality members have set up a national group for its members who are involved in housing. I am part of this group and sit on its Executive Committee, and look forward to seeing it develop as it supports organisations throughout England to deliver quality, affordable, sustainable homes. We will also lobby for positive political change in favour of community led housing.

I represented Charities and Social Enterprises at a strategic level in Leeds on issues of Housing and Regeneration.

Canopy renovates empty properties with volunteers and homeless people, who become our tenants after creating good quality affordable homes for themselves. We bring derelict property back into use, house homeless families, train unemployed people in construction skills, create jobs, improve community cohesion and contribute to the regeneration of disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

I was part of the core group of 'Leaders for Leeds', a network of people in Leeds who are committed to making a positive difference in the city.www.leadersforleeds.com

I started this initiative because of my interest in international housing finance, particularly micro finance. I engaged with people in discussion about the possibilities of using ethical micro finance in affordable housing. A highlight was a visit to a housing micro finance lender in Guayaquil, Ecuador in October 2016. https://twitter.com/hsgmicrofinance

I sat on the steering group of Claude Hendrickson's Community Self-Build Strategy for Leeds (and wider region).

I curated the Community-led Housing space at the 2015 HACT Houseparty in Manchester. HouseParty was a two day 'unconference' and pop up event, held in Manchester on the 23-24 June 2015.We brought together the widest possible collaborations of grassroots housing and social change makers to explore and solve some of the most pressing needs in housing and in the UK.

Advising the board, supervising the CEO

Overseeing the running of the organisation, responsibility for governance.

Business planning and advice regarding potential self-help housing project on empty homes.

I was part of the senior management team and managed a department delivering a Supporting People contract, offering floating support to vulnerable families and single people.We worked alongside people with a range of support needs including homelessness, drugs/alcohol/substance misuse issues, housing related support, employment, training and education, health and well-being and involvement with the criminal justice system.

Mopped floors, made sandwiches, housed homeless people, deputised for manager, created new rota, learned a lot under stressful conditions.