Thank you to our Board of Trustees for leading us in our mission to support people affected by addiction.
Trustees’ Week has come at a great time for me to be to be able to share my appreciation for all our Trustees and welcome those that have recently joined us.
You might be asking, what is a Trustee? What roles and responsibilities do they have within the Emerging Futures & Thrive Social Housing Group?
Our Board of Trustees are the people who have overall responsibility for Emerging Futures, and, our parent company, Thrive Social Housing. They make collective decisions to guide us in making the best choices for our residents, services users, staff and volunteers. It is their role to ensure we have a clear strategy, and that our work and goals are in line with our vision.
You often hear Trustees described as the ‘guardians of purpose’, making sure that all decisions put the needs of the people that access our services first. Trustees safeguard EF and TSH’s assets – both physical assets, including property, and intangible ones, such as its reputation. They make sure these are used well and that the charity is run sustainably.
Each of our Trustees bring a different set of skills and experience and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their time, commitment, and effort. I’d also like to extend a very warm welcome to our three new Trustees, Emmanuel, Steph, and Susan, we’re excited to have you on board!
Read more about Trustees’ Week here
Introducing our Trustees
Tom is currently Director of Impact at B Lab UK, a non-profit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet. He was previously Managing Director of On Purpose, an organisation which works to help people and organisations find their purpose, and then make it a reality.
“Being a Trustee is an amazing privilege. I think the most rewarding moment in any work is when you see someone’s life get better because of something you’ve contributed to.”
Emmanuel is a dedicated Housing Officer for a local authority in Worcestershire, where he employs a Psychological Informed Environment approach to support residents. Before his current role, Emmanuel worked in various capacities within Revenues & Benefits and Customer Service, gaining a well-rounded understanding of public service.
“Becoming a Trustee for EF allows me to give back to a community that means so much to me. I want to ensure others have access to the support and resources they need to overcome their struggle, just as I did.”
Driven by a passion for educational excellence and child welfare, David began his career over 25 years ago as a science teacher. He joined Venturers Trust as Interim CEO in October 2023, bringing extensive experience in strategic leadership and safeguarding.
Prior to this, David served as CEO of E-ACT, where he transformed the educational and financial performance of 29 academies.
“I was deeply moved by EF’s commitment to helping people achieve independence. This role allows me to make a tangible difference in people’s lives, which I find incredibly rewarding and humbling.
Steph has extensive experience in operational transformation, leadership, and business strategy. With a strong background in scaling organisations and driving efficiency, she has held pivotal roles across both the private and non-profit sectors.
“When I saw the Trustee role, it felt like the perfect opportunity to align my skills with a cause that resonates so strongly with me. I immediately know I wanted to be a part of the mission to create lasting, positive change.”
Susan runs her own business, Board Matters, supporting small businesses and charities within the health and social care sector with their corporate governance requirements. Prior to this she gained 20 years’ experience working in the NHS in the areas of risk management, clinical governance and corporate performance.
“Put simply, I was inspired by the truly life changing work that Emerging Futures does. The expression I used in my interview to become a Trustee was “it touched my heart”.
Janice has a breadth and depth of experience across social housing, health and social care. Having progressed from clinical practice into management, she has held CEO roles in the not-for-profit sector since 2000. Janice’s last role was with Mind, the leading mental health charity.
“With a passion for social justice, Emerging Futures was a natural landing place as a Board member, especially given the commitment to lived experience at the core of the organisation.”
Marc’s business background started in property. As European CFO for a US Real Estate firm, Marc travelled extensively working across Europe, the USA and Russia. He then founded a financial services support business with offices in London, Jersey, Guernsey and Hong Kong. Marc is the CEO of a Swiss based real estate fund manager.
“By seeing the great work done by all staff at all levels, and witnessing first-hand the effect of that care and attention, it persuaded me to do as much as I can to help at every opportunity.”
Eric has worked in the social housing sector since the early 1990s, qualifying as an accountant in his early career, before holding directorate responsibilities for finance, property services and business development.
“The aim to provide safe homes, connections, support to change life direction, and to create potential for people who may otherwise be disadvantaged and even stigmatised by society is something special.”
