Housing Justice News Release 28 July 2006
For immediate release
Housing Justice appoints new Chief Executive
Christian housing and homelessness charity Housing Justice today announced that Alison Gelder has been appointed Chief Executive.
Alison will take over from Robina Rafferty at the start of August. Robina Rafferty is retiring after 30 years working for Housing Justice and its predecessor CHAS.
Alison Gelder joined Housing Justice as the charity’s first Director of External Affairs in 2003.
After a Law degree and a Masters in Information Science Alison spent several years in senior management at British Telecom before going back to university to study theology and carry out post-graduate research into business ethics.
In 2001 Alison ran the largest survey of church-going in the UK and then worked a s a social re searcher specialising in church-based social action bringing her in to a close working relationship with the full spectrum of Christian churches. Alison was a founder member of Tooting and Balham Law Centre, and its second Chair where she learnt the value of good advice for people in housing need. Volunteering as an overnight worker at a rough sleepers’ night shelter awoke in her a vocation to be alongside and help street homeless people: a vocation which is at the heart of her Christian faith.
Alison Gelder
Commenting on her appointment Alison Gelder said “I am delighted to have been appointed as the new Chief Executive of Housing Justice, I hope to build on the work of our first Chief Executive Robina Rafferty and develop the organisation in the years to come. In this the 50 th anniversary of our forerunner CHAS, and the 40 th anniversary of Cathy Come Home the problems of homelessness and bad housing are all too common. I hope to raise the profile of this issue among policy makers, churches and the general public and help develop innovative solutions.”
Replacing Alison Gelder, Judith Maizel-Long has been appointed as Director of External Affairs. She joins Housing Justice from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the Christian ecumenical umbrella body, where she dealt with issues of church life. Judith is also a Methodist Minister in Kent.
Completing the senior management team at Housing Justice Angela Murray has been appointed as Director of Finance and Central Services. She replaces Kebbe Kouroma who has been appointed to the post of Deputy Accountant General in the Sierra Leone government. Angela has over 10 years experience of financial management in commercial and not for profit organisations most recently working for Altran Group and YMCA.
Chair of Housing Justice Bishop of Dudley the Right Reverend David Walker commented “We are delighted to appoint Alison as the new Chief Executive of Housing Justice. It will be a hard job stepping into Robina’s shoes but I am confident that Alison will be able to lead the organisation through the next stage of its development with vision, drive and enthusiasm. We are also delighted to appoint Judith and Angela who bring a wealth of experience to the work of Housing Justice. With the new senior management team in place the organisation is now well placed to build on the achievements of its first three years of existence and take our work forward.”
Ends
A high resolution photograph of Alison Gelder is available at www.housingjustice.org.uk/images/people/alisongelderhi.jpg
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent
homelessness and bad housing.
Housing Justice was formed in April 2003 by the merger of two
long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS)
and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC). In January 2006
Housing Justice merged with UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness in London). Housing Justice brings together more than 60 years experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice provides frontline services to people in housing need
and campaigns to improve housing policy. In total Housing Justice is
actively involved in more than 35 communities across England and Wales.
The Housing Justice CHAS network of 12 housing advice centres provide
practical support to people with housing and related problems.
Housing Justice UNLEASH works to support church-based housing and
homelessness projects in London.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the government's Civil Renewal
Unit, supports resident-led regeneration in 15 guide neighbourhoods
across the UK. Regenerate brings together residents who have transformed their estates with those who want to embark on the regeneration process to share learning and offer support.
Housing Justice works with Scottish Churches Housing Action to organise the annual Homelessness Sunday, a day when churches are encouraged to reflect on the problems of homelessness and bad housing. Homelessness Sunday will be held on Sunday 28 January 2007.
Housing Justice works with, and for, homeless and badly housed people of all denominations, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our
services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we
work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of
religious beliefs.
Further information on Housing Justice is available at
www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans 020 7723 7273
email media@housingjustice.org.uk