Independent People Board Members

Chair Stephen Lodge >>>> Stephen has worked in housing for 15 years, both in local authorities and housing associations. He started his career as a volunteer in direct access hostels for the homeless and then moved in to housing management, before taking up a career in housing development. Currently Development Director for Guinness Hermitage, Stephen is a member of the Senior Management Team and is responsible for the development of new homes for the company and its subsidiaries throughout the south west of England. He holds the portfolios for the development of rural housing and supported housing within Guinness. Stephen is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing. In his spare time Stephen enjoys swimming and going to the gym, and is a keen skier. He is also a regular theatre goer. Stephen volunteers with Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Allies in Bristol, an organisation that provides independent friends for young people living in care. He is a member of the CSV Allies Advisory Group, representing the volunteers at meetings with the commissioning body.
	Vice Chair <<<< Karen Ross Karen is (acting) Head of Housing Strategy at South Gloucestershire Council with responsibility for monitoring and enabling delivery of the Council’s Housing Strategy. Her substantive role is Enabling Manager, responsible for the affordable housing programme – this includes negotiating with private developers to provide affordable housing on large strategic sites under planning policy, as well as working with RSLs on traditional affordable housing projects. She has been in the affordable housing sector since 1982 and has worked for 3 local authorities, 4 RSLs and the Housing Corporation, and also in a consultancy role. Karen came onto the Board of Priority Youth Housing in 2001.
Barbara Berryman > > > > Barbara, or Bee as she's known, is working as Resident & Community Liaison Officer at ISG Pearce Ltd. Previously she worked with Solon South West Housing Association for four years, two years in the Development Department and prior to that in Housing Management. Bee has also supported individuals & encouraged them to lead an integrated and independent life with Brandon Trust. Bee is delighted to be an Independent People Board Member and thrives in delivering customer service & commitment to all communities. Bee is committed to a family of two boys who are now four and six years. She has lived with her partner in Bristol for the last 13 years and prior to that, followed her father’s occupation around the world with the Armed Forces.
Nat Selman > > > > Nat is an English Teacher in Gloucestershire but before this he was involved with the voluntary and community sector in Bristol through his time as a project co-ordinator for Business in the Community. Nat joined the Board in 2006, having got to know the work of both Priority Youth Housing and East Bristol Youth Housing when co-ordinating Business in the Community's Business Action on Homelessness (BAOH) campaign, and was inspired to get involved through the dedication and hard work of the support workers and senior management.
Treasurer David Clowes >>>> David works in the affordable housing sector for the Aster Group. Having been involved in the day to day finances of a couple of the Group companies, David now heads up the Group’s Business Planning function and has a key part to play in its External Reporting. Previously on the Board of Priority Youth Housing, David is now delighted to be part of the Independent People Board and was part of the merger working party that helped bring it about. Originally from South Africa, David has been in the UK since 1994 and is impressed with the support available to young people who find themselves homeless here and keen to ensure that this kind of support continues and improves. When not at work or at Independent People, David can be found on the stage in some amateur dramatic productions, supporting a local church with its fundraising, training for some or other running event, entertaining and having fun with family and friends.
	<<<< Ann Thorne Ann was brought up on a council estate in Dorset. She had the terrifying experience of becoming homeless with two young sons in 1975, two years before the Homeless Persons Act was passed, in the "Cathy Come Home" days. This lead her to become a member of Shelter and set up a local Single Parents Group. Ann has a degree in Urban Estate Surveying and Housing Administration, with exemption from the examinations of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institute of Housing. She has worked with Nottingham City Council, Leicester City Council and held senior positions at Bristol City Council before she retired in 2008. Having worked in some of the toughest areas of Nottingham and Bristol, Ann understands how hard life can be for so many, especially for young people who don't have the support that they need. As well as working part-time as a Product Consultant for Capita Software Services, Ann enjoys growing her own vegetables and makes stained glass.
David Morgan >>>> David has worked for his own company Morganbush for the last 10 years advising SMEs on finance, development and restructuring with a particular interest in social enterprises. Having been self employed since he left school he developed a number of food businesses in London and the West Country including Interfreeze, Foodcall, Bakers Own, Brittons and Avonmouth Meats. Outside the food industry he was an owner manager at Artloan and Job Creation. He joined the board of Wayahead in 2006 before the merger with Priority. Previously he had experience in the housing sector as a non executive director at Western Challenge Housing and Gloucester City Homes. Currently David holds public appointments on the boards of Avon and Somerset Probation Service and South West Food and Drink
	<<<< Meirion Rushworth Meirion is the Deputy Head of Finance at Newport City Council. Previous roles include Head of Finance & Performance at Swindon Borough Council and Head of Directorate Finance at Bath & North East Somerset Council. In his current role he manages the Accountancy and Procurement functions for the Council - 40 staff, deputy to Director of Finance (S151 Officer), line manage procurement manager and 5 senior finance professionals, lead on major improvement projects within service, support key organisational projects.