Our Board

Sarah became Chair of our Board in September 2021. She is a qualified accountant and has worked with the housing sector for over 10 years, providing advice to boards and leadership teams.

She loves working with people to help them achieve their potential and joined the Board at Fairoak because she believes that all of us deserve a safe and comfortable home.

Sarah was born a Geordie but she now lives in Manchester and spends a lot of time in Cumbria with her partner and their very excitable Border Terrier.

Phil joined the Fairoak Board in 2021 and brings over 20 years of knowledge and experience gained working in asset management and development within social housing.

He hopes to support the fantastic work and services Fairoak provide to their tenants and customers allowing them to lead independent and fulfilling lives.

Richard is new to Cumbria. He is a social worker by background and has worked for NHS England in Lancashire and Cumbria; he also chairs an organisation called Shared Lives.

He likes to do things he feels passionate about and be engaged locally. Fairoak speaks to him as he sees it as an organisation that gives people the opportunity to be full citizens.

Rebecca joined the Fairoak Board in 2023 and brings with her 12 years property development experience within the Housing Association sector. Prior to working for housing associations, Rebecca provided housing and benefits related advice and support for Cumbria and Lancashire based charities.

Rebecca hopes that her knowledge and experience will help to support and continue the amazing work Fairoak already does.

Bill is a housing finance specialist, having a particular interest in strategic financial planning and treasury, with senior level experience of over 30 years in the social housing sector.

As Head of Finance at a large northern based housing association he was responsible for the group’s financial business planning and a key member of the team that negotiated and implemented two mergers with other housing associations and one commercial acquisition.

Since moving into consultancy, as a director of 4point2 Ltd., he has become an accredited business partner with Housing Brixx, MRI software’s strategic financial modelling software for the social housing sector, implementing and advising on financial business plans for a range of housing organisations.

Bill was also a founder member of an Industrial and Provident Society formed to build and operate a community-owned hydro-electric scheme.

Nicola joined the Fairoak Board in early 2025. She is an experienced housing professional with 20 years working in the housing sector, specialising in Supported Living.

Nicola started her career in Housing Management before moving into Development. She has overseen delivery of Affordable Rent, shared ownership, supported living and Home Ownership for People with Long Term Disabilities (HOLD) schemes through a range of delivery routes including new build development, property refurbishment and lease arrangements.

Nicola has an autistic family member who lives in supported living accommodation so not only understands the challenges of delivering and managing specialised supported housing but also the challenges faced by people trying to access such services.

She has a passion for driving quality in the housing sector and looks forward to supporting Fairoak in continuing to deliver an excellent service to both their current and future tenants.

Debbie joined the Fairoak Board in 2025 – more information about Debbie will follow soon.

Heather brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the Fairoak Board. She has over 25 years’ experience working in the private and corporate sectors as a fitness professional, including collaboration with NHS autism and learning disability services to support the health and wellbeing of individuals with additional needs.

In 2020, Heather retrained in the construction industry, qualifying as a joiner and plasterer. She gained hands-on experience in property maintenance, refurbishment and development, giving her valuable insight into the importance of safe, well-maintained homes that support independence.

Heather is autistic and joined the Board in 2025 to support Fairoak’s mission. She is passionate about using her experience to help shape services that reflect the needs and aspirations of autistic people and people with learning disabilities. She is a strong advocate for meaningful inclusion, choice and independence, ensuring that tenants can thrive and live with dignity and wellbeing.

Carolina joined the Fairoak Board in 2025. She is Head of Corporate Services at Manningham Housing Association in Bradford, where she leads digital journey, corporate projects, people and equality, diversity and inclusion.

With a background in communications, UX, project management and AI, Carolina is strongly customer-centred and focuses on putting tenants at the heart of decisions, particularly those from minority and underrepresented communities.

As a social housing tenant with a long-standing personal interest in supported housing and inclusion, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to Fairoak, and is committed to helping tenants live happy, healthy and independent lives.

Stuart joined the Board in February 2026. He is a Chartered Accountant and has over 25 years’ experience of working in finance and risk management. He is an experienced housing non-executive director and has previously held executive roles with the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust in York and its parent, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Stuart lives in the South Lakes and hopes his knowledge and skills can help Fairoak to continue to thrive and have a positive impact on so many individuals’ lives. Outside of work, he makes the most of living in Cumbria by hiking, cycling, and, if the weather’s right, being out on the water.