HouseProud Breakfast Briefing - '100 Days of a New Government - what is the impact for Housing and Diversity?'
We’re pleased to invite you to our October breakfast briefing held in partnership with Trowers and Hamlin, at their headquarters in the City of London
​
Thursday 31st October 8.30 - 11.00 am
​
Get unique insight from LGBTQ+ or ally leaders in their field, over what to expect in this unprecedented time of change.
Coffee and a light breakfast will be available on arrival, followed by presentations from our speakers and an opportunity for questions, discussions and networking.
This event will be recorded and released as our inaugural HouseProud podcast.
​
Get your free tickets here: https://buytickets.at/houseproud/1405899
​
Our Speakers:
​
Denise Fowler
CEO, Phoenix Housing
Formerly the Housing Ombudsman for England and a senior lawyer in government, Denise Fowler is now the Chief Executive of Phoenix Community Housing - the first Community Gateway in London. The Gateway model empowers tenants and leaseholders to take a central part in decision-making and become shareholding members. Tenants and leaseholders are the largest group on the Board, with our Chair and Vice-Chair also being residents.
Denise is strongly committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She has a particular interest in women’s housing issues and founded the Women’s Housing Forum, which aims to raise awareness of the links between women’s housing needs and gender inequality.
​
Bethan Buck
Head of Member Relations - The National Housing Federation
Bethan leads on the creation and expansion of the NHF's member facing equality, diversity and inclusion work she is a passionate advocate for greater equality in the housing association sector.
Bethan will update us on the state of the regulatory framework and give us the very latest news on the lobbying work the NHF have delivered on all of our behalf.
​
Chris Struthers
Chris is a town planning and housing professional with 18 years’ experience working predominantly in client-side residential development. He has worked for Persimmon Homes, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and more recently was the planning lead for Catalyst Housing (now Peabody) and L&Q.
Chris has led the G15 response to the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), he will outlining some of the highlights, and how he thinks the G15 response will land with the government.
​
Barry Boffy MBE FIEDP
​
Senior Consultant, FAIRER
Barry is an award-winning Inclusion, Equality and Diversity thought leader with a history of working in the social and criminal justice sector. He is a passionate advocate for victim rights and for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive world for all. He also believes in working collaboratively across industries as a way of sharing best practice whilst enhancing employee experience.
Barry will be reflecting on what changes and current trends in Diversity and Inclusion we can expect as the new Government establishes this agenda.
Panel Chair :
Miles Lanham
CEO Chisel Housing
Miles Lanham is CEO at CHISEL Housing Association in south-east London and Brighton, a member of the Coin Street board in Waterloo and the founder of HouseProud. ​
​
​
14 Housing Organisations Awarded LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge Pioneer Status for LGBTQ+ Inclusivity
14 housing organisations have been awarded the LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge Pioneer status, which marks a huge milestone for LGBTQ+ housing. This award celebrates each organisation’s dedication to creating safe and welcoming environments for LGBTQ+ residents and sets a benchmark for others in the sector to follow.
The 14 housing organisations recognised:
​
-
Anchor
-
Gloucester City Homes
-
London Borough of Islington
-
Notting Hill Genesis
-
Orbit
-
Orwell Homes
-
Peter Bedford
-
Places for People
-
QVT
-
Riverside
-
Royal Borough of Greenwich
-
SJMT
-
SNG
-
Soho Housing
Achieving LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge Pioneer Status is a testament to these organisations’ commitment to fostering inclusivity, and addressing the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in social housing. These challenges often include feeling unsafe in their homes or communities and the fear of being “outed” during home visits.
“We are committed to promoting equality and tackling instances of discrimination everywhere in our borough. We would like to thank House Proud and Stonewall Housing for recognising our work here in Greenwich to implement a programme of training for staff to improve awareness and interactions with LGBTQ+ residents as well as our work to increase LGBTQ+ visibility and input across the Council.”
Spokesperson, Royal Borough of Greenwich
“We are delighted to be awarded Pledge Pioneer status. We take pride in knowing that social housing residents assessed our submission alongside Pledge Advisory Board members, and recognised our commitment to the LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge. We look forward to continuing our work to make our homes better for LGBTQ+ residents in later life.”
​
Sarah Jones, CEO Anchor Hanover
“We’re very proud to have been named an LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge Pioneer. Everyone deserves a safe, decent and genuinely affordable place to call home and making sure LGBTQ+ residents can access good-quality housing and enjoy their homes with pride, and without discrimination, is a key part of our mission to create a more equal Islington.”
​
Councillor Una O’Halloran, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods
“Providing an inclusive Community where everyone is welcome, everyone is important, and everyone can thrive is part of who we are at Places for People. We want our LGBTQ+ Customers to know that we are serious about ensuring the services we provide meet their needs. Signing up the HouseProud Pledge was part of us demonstrating that commitment and we are so delighted to have achieved Pioneer status. We know we can still do better, but by being part of the HouseProud network we are already learning so much and implementing changes for the benefit of our Customers and Communities."
Lindsey Daniels, Director of Transformation
The LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge scheme, by HouseProud and delivered by Stonewall Housing, provides a comprehensive framework for social landlords to demonstrate their commitment to creating inclusive and safe environments for LGBTQ+ residents. By adhering to this pledge, organisations show their dedication to eliminating discrimination and supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in their communities. To achieve Pledge Pioneer, these organisations have been required to show how they are listening to their LGBTQ+ residents at an executive or strategic level, increasing LGBTQ+ visibility and investing in staff training.A key aspect of the LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge Scheme is the direct involvement of LGBTQ+ residents in its development.
Notably, LGBTQ+ residents comprised 3 out of the 8 members on the assessment panel, ensuring that their voices and experiences were central to the process. This involvement ensures that the pledge addresses the real and pressing needs of the LGBTQ+ community.“Previous research has shown us that many LGBTQ+ people don’t feel safe even in their own homes or communities.
​
These 14 organisations have worked hard to achieve the Pledge Pioneer requirements. It is a massive achievement that sends a clear signal: we all deserve a safe space to call home. These housing providers are helping to make this a reality.”
Alexandra Duffy, Stonewall Housing Training Lead
We urge other housing organisations to join the LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge Scheme and contribute to a more inclusive and supportive housing sector. By signing up, organisations can help extend this vital initiative and support LGBTQ+ residents across the country.
