James Williamson
Chair of the GreenSquare Board
James has been Chair of OCHA’s Board since February 2006 and prior to that was Chair of Audit Committee. He has been an OCHA Board member since 2003. James worked 23 years for Black and Decker in various positions including European Director of Business Services, and European Director of Change Management - Finance and Commercial Operations. He has recently been the Group Finance Director of a local manufacturing company with operations in the UK and Europe and is still the Finance Director for a business in the leisure sector. James is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Derek Cash
Independent Member
Dorset born, Derek became the first pupil from his town’s Comprehensive school to serve as Mayor of his home town of Bridport and went on to complete 14 years as a local councillor at both town and district level. Originally trained in journalism, he has worked professionally in social housing for the past 17 years. Having started three successful housing associations from scratch in South West England and South Africa, Derek carried out housing inspections for the Audit Commission before joining the NHF where he headed up their operation across the South of England. Currently taking time out to cruise the inland waterways on his narrow boat, Derek has also recently joined Community Housing Association’s Board in London.

Alice Copping
OCHA Independent Member
Alice spent the first 18 years of her life in a village just outside of Thame. Following 18 months in Bangladesh, Alice returned to the South Oxfordshire countryside in Wheatley. Having graduated with a degree in Management Science and working as an Insurance Underwriter, Alice realised that this was not her calling. She volunteered with VSO and this was when she worked in Bangladesh. She then trained as an adviser with the Citizens Advice Bureau and worked at Oxfordshire Housing Rights and then Barton Information Centre, as well as undertaking outreach work for Age Concern Oxfordshire. Seven years on, Alice is a Director with Age Concern Oxfordshire, involved both regionally and nationally in information and advice services for the health and wellbeing of older people. Alice recently left the management committee of Blackbird Leys Neighbourhood Support Scheme after 6 years as company secretary. She currently works on the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board and the National Age Concern Health and Social Care Partnership. Alice sits on the Board of OCHA and after a 6 month shadowing period will become Chair of the Board.

Bill Fishlock
Chair of Oakus
Bill was a partner in a firm of Chartered Accountants for 31 years and retired in 1995. He still does some consultancy work for his old firm, and is a Director of a house building company in Newbury. For six years he was Chair of the Prospect Foundation (which runs a specialist palliative care service from a hospice in Swindon). He is a Trustee of “The Green Hut” (a drop-in centre in the middle of Swindon) and Director of Taurus Ltd (a company endeavouring to help young people with learning difficulties to obtain qualifications and employment). During the last three years, Bill has become a member of both the Wiltshire Police Authority and the Wiltshire Probation Board and a non-executive board member of the Swindon Primary Care Trust.

Wendy Hall
Independent Member
Wendy Hall is Chief Executive of a charity, Family Mediation, that covers North Wiltshire and has five projects working with children and families. She is also a member of the Wiltshire Probation Board. She has been a non-executive of an NHS Trust and chaired the Audit Committee and the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Committee. Her career has been in management and quality work, in both local government and the not-for-profit sector, and as a qualified auditor, she has also been a consultant. She is a member of Swindon Borough Council‘s Local Remuneration Panel, recommending councillors' allowances, and the Swindon Community Safety Partnership Executive Board. Wendy lives in the lovely village of Wanborough with her partner and two cats.

Hilary Gardener
Chair Designate
Hilary is highly experienced and a skilled housing professional with over 25 years' experience in the housing sector, and over 10 at Senior Executive level. She was employed by Sanctuary Group for over 22 years with involvement in most areas of the housing business. Hilary’s most recent position was as commercial director for the whole Group, but has held posts with responsibility for social housing, business development and expansion, student housing, market rented housing and care. She has also worked as a Regional Director and also set up and ran Sanctuary’s subsidiary in Scotland. Hilary is a strong and natural leader with a well developed understanding of: organisational dynamics at senior level, adapting to change, and how individuals react to change. An excellent communicator with real skills in supporting and motivating people to achieve their goals. Hilary has had previous board member experience with other housing associations including National Approved Lettings Scheme, Kingfisher Housing Association, and Paramount Housing Association.

Helena Taylor-Knox
Independent Member
Helena is a business psychologist running her own company promoting the sustainable creation of personal wellbeing and successful positive workplaces. She began her career in the supported housing world and has continued to work in both the social housing and social care sectors for the last 15 years. A member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, she has previously been a senior manager for SOHA Housing, heading up their Supported Housing Team. Helena is also the specialist Social Housing Advisor to PACT (a charity focused on promoting the life chances for children). She also co-ordinates training for a project for service users and carers at Mental Health Matters in Oxford. Helena is a member of the British Psychological Society and sits on their regional committee. She is also a member of the Special Group for Coaching Psychology and the Association of Business Psychologists. Helena has a BSc in Behavioural Sciences and a Masters in Mental Health (Organisational Psychology & Psychiatry) from King's College, London. After completing her clinical training in New York, Helena moved to Swindon.

Ivor Williams
Westlea Resident Member
Ivor lives in Wootton Bassett. He has been a Westlea tenant for ten years, and a board member for six. He and his partner have two teenage sons. After leaving the Armed Forces, Ivor worked for the Post Office and then ran his own newsagents. Most of his time is now taken up with voluntary work, and he has been active in local and national tenant participation for the several years.

John Holden
Westlea Board Member
John was appointed to the Board of Westlea in September 2004. He has lived in the Bristol/Bath area for 10 years. He has worked in the City of London, during which time he was involved in raising capital for housing associations, and in the venture capital industry, investing in growing companies. He has a BA from Durham University and an MBA from Cranfield University.

Eleanor Thompson
OCHA Resident Board Member - from July 2010
Eleanor was born in North Wales and has lived in London, Lancashire, and Mid-Wales. She moved to Oxfordshire in 1997 to be closer to her family. She worked in Direct Sales for the catering industry for over 20 years and opted for a change of career in 1999 working with children who had special needs. After 3 years she took up a post with HOLD Ltd, a housing charity for people with learning disabilities. In 2004 she returned to working “hands-on” with children and young people with special needs on an Outreach programme with West Berkshire Council, she retired in 2004. She attained a Higher Certificate of Education at Plater College, Oxford. Eleanor has sat on panels with OCHA and other housing associations when tenants were changed from Residential Social Care to Supported Living. She volunteers at the Gatehouse, Oxford's café for the homeless and a new project at St Giles Church. Eleanor believes that we are all entitled to safe, secure accommodation, and as World Citizens should all be working towards that goal.

David Ashmore
Group Chief Executive (co-optee)
See above.