Our 2022 Annual General Meeting (Link opens in new window)

In September we welcomed board members and shareholders to our headquarters to share our annual review and accounts for the last financial year.

Anthony Whittaker – Board member
Anthony Whittaker (Chair)

Anthony has worked for several not-for-profit housing organisations during a career spanning over 40 years. His most recent role was the Chief Executive of United Welsh Housing Association.

A resident of Bridgend, in his spare time he enjoys walking his dogs, gardening, and following his local football team.

Joanne Smith – Board Member
Joanne Smith (Vice Chair)

Joanne works as a Governance and Regulation Manager for the housing association Coastal Housing Group. She worked in the Housing Regulation Team in the Welsh Government before that.

She firmly believes in the benefits that good quality, secure homes and services can bring to improve people’s health and wellbeing.

Derek Hobbs

Derek is the Director of Digital Transformation Relationships Ltd. He has expert knowledge in technical, practical and legal aspects of modern digital marketing, plus experience of insight techniques within public, private and voluntary sectors.

A resident of Bridgend, he has played rugby for over 35 years. And also enjoys gardening, playing the keyboard, and looking after his four grandchildren.

Caroline Jones Board Member
Caroline Jones

Caroline is an Associate Director at Savills estate agents, as well as a chartered surveyor and a registered valuer of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

She works in the Development Department, advising on property development and regeneration. Here she has worked closely with the affordable housing sector in Wales, providing valuation and consultancy advice on assets and new build programmes.

Image of Tara King
Tara King

Tara is a Director at KingShipp Sustainable Solutions, an independent advisor for circular procurement, material resource management, and renewable energy projects.

She also volunteers as Chair to a board of Trustees for a local charity, Sustainable Wales in Porthcawl, and the Red Cross. Tara lives in Caerphilly, and in her spare time enjoys helping local music festivals become lower carbon through recycling and green energy advice.

Sharon Lee

Currently the Chief Executive of Aelwyd Housing, a faith-based housing association operating across South Wales, Sharon is originally from Merthyr Tydfil but has called Bridgend home for over 20 years. She is actively involved in her local church, volunteering for a range of community projects.

A busy mum with two children, she is often seen on a touchline cheering on her local junior football team. She also enjoys running, and is an avid fan of Porthcawl Parkrun.

Joy Ogeh-Hutfield

Joy is an accomplished international trainer and coach, with success in delivering diversity and inclusion, leadership development, executive coaching, and women empowerment initiatives at senior management level across a range of organisations.

Joy lives in Swansea, and regularly features as a guest speaker on coaching principles, diversity and leadership on various BBC TV and BBC Radio Wales programmes including X-Ray, the One Show, Good Morning Wales and the Eleri Siôn Show.

Sophie Taylor – Board Member
Sophie Taylor

Sophie is a qualified Accountant who currently works in a senior finance role for Bron Afon Community Housing Association.

She has an excellent understanding of the challenges facing the housing sector, including the complexities of managing a public sector organisation that has to balance commercial demands with good governance.

Andrew Wallbridge – Board member
Andrew Wallbridge

Andrew is a Management Consultant for a Bridgend-based consultancy firm and works with many housing associations across South Wales.

He has been a tenant for over four years, and lives with his wife and family in Maesteg.

Mark Woloshak

Mark is a Solicitor at Cardiff-based firm Howells. He has acted on behalf of many housing associations, and was previously on the Board of a housing association in Devon.

Originally from London, Mark has a keen interest in social housing and firmly believes in its importance to society.

Phillip Stoke (Co-optee)

A Chartered Construction Manager with a substantial track record within the private commercial development sector, Phillip has delivered a mix of retail and commercial developments at director level.

He has also forged excellent relationships within the social and stock-transfer housing sectors, delivering large-scale new builds, major regeneration and refurbishment projects.

Become a Board Member

We are always on the lookout for people to join our Board who have expert skills in all areas of our business, that can support and challenge us to improve our services.

We advertise Board vacancies on our website, our social media platforms, and through recruitment agencies. There is also a dedicated website for housing association jobs: Housing Jobs Wales.

Being a Board Member is a great opportunity to learn new skills too, and you will receive induction training to help you settle into the role and find out more about us.

Become a Shareholder

You can become a shareholder and own a stake in our organisation for £1.

This will entitle you to vote on key decisions at our Annual General Meeting, and on rule changes at any Special General Meetings. You will also be amongst the  first people we engage with on other changes across the organisation.

Fill in this form if you would like to become a shareholder: Shareholder application form.