At ForHousing, we are governed by three main entities. That’s the ForHousing Executive Management Team, the ForHousing Board and ForHousing Committees.
Meet the ForHousing Executive Management Team
The Executive Management Team is responsible for the day-to-day running of ForHousing. They make sure that our promises to tenants are being delivered and that the outcomes expected are being met.
Colette McKune MBE
Chief Executive Officer
Occupation
CEO of ForHousing
Who inspires you?
My daughter Amy, gives me confidence that I get some things right!
What’s your biggest fear?
Rats
What makes you proud to be a part of ForHousing?
Making a positive impact upon people’s lives
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Spending time with my grandson, River
Career highlight for you?
Opening of Extra Care Scheme Amblecote Gardens and seeing joy on the faces of the tenants moving in.
Who would play you in a movie?
Dawn French
Mike Parkin
Group Chief Operating Officer
Occupation
Group Chief Operating Officer
Who inspires you?
My children
What’s your biggest fear?
Not succeeding
What makes you proud to be a part of ForHousing?
Being part of a work family whose aim is to help people in ForHousing communities
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Keeping fit and watching Liverpool Football Club
Career highlight for you?
Many highlights but being appointed at ForHousing was one
Who would play you in a movie?
Least likely Daniel Craig, most likely Rowan Atkinson
Jenny Neville
Executive Director Corporate Services
Occupation
Executive Director
Who inspires you?
Volunteers – those that give their time to help others. I am a wreck when I watch Children in Need and Red Nose Day!
What’s your biggest fear?
The loss of family and friends
What makes you proud to be a part of ForHousing?
That our shared purpose is to improve the lives of others. I am immensely proud of the amazing work of my colleagues and the difference they make in communities.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Spending time with my two young children, James and Eleanor, and our dog, Bryn. Sugar, I didn’t mention my husband, so I best include him too!
I also enjoy running – the space, fresh air and physical challenge provides me with so much perspective. I absolutely love it and often run with friends.
Career highlight for you?
Developing people who smash their career goals. My biggest success is the success of others.
Who would play you in a movie?
Not sure there are many 5ft actresses with a Bolton accent! Jenna Coleman? Although I love Sheridan Smith so she would be brill!
Meet the ForHousing Board
The Board leads ForHousing, sets the corporate plan and brings strong leaderships, ideas and insight as well as being the ultimate decision makers. Board members bring a wealth of experience and expertise to support our Purpose of Improved Lives.
The Board is accountable for the success of the organisation responsible for several key areas, making sure we are governed properly and that we are always compliant. The Board help us to manage risks to ForHousing so that we can focus on making a difference. They are accountable to our stakeholders and shareholders for our financial strength and performance.
Our Board Members bring lots of experience from other sectors, they share their knowledge and innovation meaning we can always keep learning and improving.
We are committed to openness and transparency in all that we do. If you would like to see a copy of our register of interests, please email governance@forhousing.co.uk and a member of the team will reply to you with the document within 5 working days.
Click ‘Get to know me’ below to find out which committees each Board Member is on.
Paul Kennedy
Chair of the Board
Occupation
Non-Executive Chair
Committee
People
Favourite place
On a golf course in Spain
Obsessed with
Organisational culture
Prefers to avoid
Dealing with insincere people
Admires
Anyone who makes the world a better place
Skilled in
Growing businesses
Colette McKune MBE
Board Member
Occupation
CEO of ForHousing
Committee
Development and ForLiving, Customer, Wellbeing
Favourite place
Home
Obsessed with
My Grandson, River
Prefers to avoid
Negativity
Admires
Courageous people
Skilled in
Leadership
Graeme Foster
Board Member
Occupation
CEO of Alpha
Committee
Audit and Risk, Customer
Favourite place
Liverpool, where I was brought up and still feels like home
Obsessed with
Collecting vinyl records
Prefers to avoid
Liverpool supporters
Admires
Optimism
Skilled in
Governance
Deborah McLaughin
Board Member
Occupation
Commissioner and Non-Executive
Committee
Development and ForLiving
Favourite place
The chaos of my Sunday lunch table with four generations of family
Obsessed with
Cooking Ottolenghi recipes
Prefers to avoid
Traffic jams, commuting… and oily fish
Admires
People that speak up eg. Greta Thunberg
Skilled in
Spotting and nurturing talent
Jim Barclay
Board Member
Occupation
A mixture of NED, mentoring work, and consultancy
Committee
Audit and Risk, Customer
Favourite place
St Pancras Station
Obsessed with
Travelling by train
Prefers to avoid
People who are charlatans
Admires
Anyone overcomes adversity
Skilled in
Getting on with people
Lawrence McIntosh
Board Member
Occupation
Chair of a Union Branch
Committee
Development & ForLiving, Customer
Favourite place
Lake Garda in Italy
Obsessed with
Walking beautiful areas in the UK
Prefers to avoid
Traffic queues
Admires
Community volunteers
Skilled in
Collaboration
Mark Fletcher
Board Member
Occupation
CEO of The Manchester Pride Charity
Committee
Wellbeing, People
Favourite place
Home
Obsessed with
Design
Prefers to avoid
Dishonesty
Admires
Passion
Skilled in
Leadership
Steve Bentley
Board Member
Occupation
Senior Independent Director
Committee
People
Favourite place
Holkham Beach, Norfolk
Obsessed with
Quality time with family and friends
Prefers to avoid
People who are not prepared to listen to other perspectives
Admires
Those prepared to go above and beyond
Skilled in
Life! And treasury management
Paul Butterworth
Board Member
Occupation
Director of Assets
Committee
Audit and Risk, Development and ForLiving
Favourite place
By the sea
Obsessed with
During lockdown, stripes in my lawn
Prefers to avoid
Clutter or being late
Admires
Honesty and integrity
Skilled in
Finding solutions to problems
Christine Barker
Board Member
Occupation
Board Member
Committee
Wellbeing, Customer
Favourite place
The trails of Alaska
Obsessed with
My family
Prefers to avoid
Negativity
Admires
Harriet Tubman
Skilled in
Coordinating
ForHousing Committees
ForHousing Board Members chair five committees. They help to support and oversee key changes to the organisation and provide ForHousing with different perspectives. They help us make and review decisions related to the day-to-day running of ForHousing.
This committee supports the delivery of Corporate Plan objectives such as providing quality homes and places. They monitor, consider and recommend guidance to ForHousing on development activity and performance. They also review the Development Strategy and consider new development opportunities and monitors the delivery of existing schemes and projects.
This committee supports ForHousing’s delivery of the ‘Improved Lives’ purpose. They provide strategic guidance of the development and review of the Wellbeing Strategy.
The committee monitors the investment that directly contributes to Social Value Creating to continually improve the Wellbeing of ForViva communities. It supports the development and review of social value activity to enable desired, sustainable, and positive social impact.
This committee oversees the delivery of services to customers and makes sure that services are shaped by customers. They hold ForHousing accountable for delivering the Together with Tenants Charter. They make sure Consumer Standards are met as well as supporting the delivery of the Corporate Plan, Tenant Voice Strategy, and the White Paper.
Aderonke Apata
Customer committee
Occupation
Human Rights Activist, Feminist and LGBT Equality Advocate.
Interim CEO of African Rainbow Family
Dream holiday destination
United States of America
I couldn’t live without
My family
Prefers to avoid
Confrontation
Admires
Patience and openness
Strengths
I am a good listener and always ready to help
Adina Makin
Customer committee
Occupation
Complaints manager – First Choice Homes
Dream holiday destination
Jamaica – I have family there but have never been
I couldn’t live without
Asos – shopaholic
Prefers to avoid
Cold weather
Admires
My favourite rapper is J.Cole because his music expresses the importance of inner peace and often tackles social issues. It reminds you that there is more to life than materialistic vices and to appreciate your family and friends.
Strengths
My ability to have empathy and understanding when dealing with others.
Bill Weightman
Customer committee
Occupation
I am a full-time carer for two of my grandchildren. I have also been caring for my wife since she became ill two years ago.
Dream holiday destination
This is an easy one, way up a tributary of the Amazon River, researching and collecting new species of fish.
I couldn’t live without
My family and friends.
Prefers to avoid
Filling in long winded forms to ask simple questions.
Admires
The members of my community who work day in and out supporting our community without pay, without self-interest but with plenty of passion.
Strengths
Empathy, you can’t begin to understand the person next to you without it and you need it if you want to help.
Chikwendu Ifionu
Customer committee
Occupation
I work for HMRC as a front line manager
Dream holiday destination
Jersey
I couldn’t live without
My family
Prefers to avoid
Dishonest people
Admires
Nature
Strengths
I’m a hardworking individual
Donna O’Neill
Customer committee
Occupation
I work in a Chief Data Office in the Data Policy, Governance and Management team
Dream holiday destination
I love to travel and Scandinavia is next on my list
I couldn’t live without
Good friends
Prefers to avoid
Negativity
Admires
Jacinda Arden
Strengths
Aware and non-judgemental
Helen Wild
Customer committee
Occupation
Retired
Dream holiday destination
I’m not an abroad sort of person I love Cornwall
I couldn’t live without
My family
Prefers to avoid
Negativity
Admires
My husband
Strengths
Determination
Kate Langtree
Customer committee
Occupation
Carer, Volunteer, Holistic Therapist
Dream holiday destination
Las Vegas/Thailand
I couldn’t live without
Family and books
Prefers to avoid
Confrontation
Admires
I admire a lot of people, including friends and family members. Famous people such as Marcus Rashford for his charity work such as backing of child food poverty incentives.
Strengths
I am an excellent communicator and listener with a passion for helping others when I can. I am a positive person.
Kelly Nash
Customer committee
Occupation
Civil Servant
Dream holiday destination
Sorrento
I couldn’t live without
Coffee and good book
Prefers to avoid
Fish!
Admires
Honesty
Strengths
Honesty and respectfulness
Samantha Jayne Bellamy
Customer committee
Occupation
Local councillor, support worker, chef
Dream holiday destination
India
I couldn’t live without
My car
Prefers to avoid
Balloons
Admires
My grandma
Strengths
My personality
Stephen England
Customer committee
Occupation
DHL supply chain transport manager
Dream holiday destination
A log cabin in the woods
I couldn’t live without
Strawberries and cream, ice cream
Prefers to avoid
Negativity
Admires
My younger brother, Luke
Strengths
Listening to others
This committee supports ForHousing and all group members in relation to financial controls, accountability, risk management, internal controls and assurance and making sure these processes are effectively managed. They work to review and recommend policies and strategies, assess budgets in the context of risk and oversee internal and external audits.
This committee oversees the recruitment of new Board Members and reviews the effectiveness of key People strategies. They assess the effectiveness of ForHousing priorities like the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Wellbeing Strategy. They review the Governance framework and ensure that we are fully compliant and working to improve where appropriate. They also oversee the remuneration for executive and Board Members.
