Directors (Independent representatives)

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  Mary Dowling (Chairman)

  Mary has been a member of the South Lakes Housing Board since 2003 and following a period as Vice Chairman was elected Chairman in 2008. Her work experience has been in the NHS as a Director of Human Resources. She has a BSc in Public Administration, an MBA and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

  Mary has considerable experience as a board member and is currently Vice Chairman of the Cumbria Primary Care NHS Trust Board which is responsible for the £850 million annual budget for healthcare in Cumbria. For five years she was a member of the Independent Remuneration Panel advising South Lakeland District Council on the allowances for district councillors.

  Mary's interests are in making sure that South Lakes Housing performs to the highest standards for the benefit of tenants and communities. She lives in Grange-over-Sands.

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  Peter Kuit

  Peter’s past work includes pioneering regeneration schemes and major re-structuring initiatives at local, sub-regional and regional levels. He has operated at a senior management level for more than 20 years and, prior to his retirement in September 2009, was Director of Development for Preston City Council.

  Peter brings extensive and relevant experience to the Board, ranging from multi-disciplinary project management to the challenges faced in making provision for the homeless to motivating staff and colleagues at all levels. He is also a volunteer business mentor for the Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency and an Executive Director of the Cumbria Community Asset and Reinvestment Trust

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  David Richardson

  David Richardson has lived in South Lakeland for some nine years. Hailing originally from London, he moved to the NW over forty years ago. His career was in higher education administration and fundraising. He held a number of posts in the University of Manchester including Deputy Registrar and Secretary to the University Foundation.

  He is active in community engagement. He has been Chair of Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service since 2010. One cause in which David takes a particular interest is that of the needs of people living with dementia, having been active as a volunteer with the Alzheimer's Society since 2002. Nationally, he serves as a member of the Society’s Board of Trustees and of the Finance and Audit Committee, and he chairs the Board's advisory group on fundraising. Locally, he helps with campaigning and with delivery of services for people with dementia and their carers; he is the current Chair of the community dementia forum for Cumbria S & E.

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  John Stanton

  John has been involved as an Independent Director of South Lakes Housing since the inception in 2004 and was Board Chair for the first 4 four years. His professional expertise is as a Surveyor in the Construction Industry and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Building having a special interest in the repairs and maintenance of the housing stock. He has been involved as a consultant and directly employed by a Local Authority and a number of Health Authorities and is currently employed by a construction consultancy company working in the nuclear industry. Originally from Wigan he has lived in Ulverston since 1984, has two grown up sons and a step daughter currently at university studying for a degree. He is a keen follower of his home town rugby league club and enjoy the area by fell walking.

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  John Short (Vice Chairman)

  John has been a tenant for 17 years and lives in Ambleside. His previous work experience was in the food trade, being Purchasing Director for a large firm of wholesale food distributors. Later he worked in a retail news agency before retiring. He takes a keen interest in the financial side of the business particularly rent collection and the cash flow, and the support of older people and sheltered housing.

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  Charles Howarth

  Charles Howarth lives in Barbon and has been a tenant Board member since 2008. His main interest is charity work with the visually impaired. Charles previously worked in mechanical engineering and road transport.

  Charles is a big believer in social housing as a life choice and has a particular interest in equality and diversity.

  Charles has four teenage children; two girls; and two boys.

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  Sara Brown

  Sara has been a tenant in Bowness-on-Windermere since 2008. She has been volunteering in a variety of Tenant Services since then, and was nominated to the Board in October 2012. Passionate about health and fitness, Sara has a particular interest in supporting vulnerable tenants, and works professionally in a health centre.

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  Janet Cherry

  Janet was unanimously nominated by the Tenants' Committee in April 2011 to the Board before the housing transfer process commenced.

  Janet has lived in South Lakeland for 34 years and has been a tenant of South Lakeland District Council since 1995. She takes an active interest in community and voluntary work, and this is reflected in her professional life as finance officer for Cumbria Voluntary Services

Directors (Councillor representatives)

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  John Holmes

  John has lived in Crosthwaite- Kendal now for 12 years having moved from Bradford/Leeds – West Yorkshire where he was for the last 45 years Managing Director of a General Contracting Company engaged in the building of Schools, Hospitals,Churches,Housing for Local Authorities, Housing Associations and private clients as well as considerable works for Industry and Commerce. Having trained as a Quantity Surveyor he spent most of his working life in project management including design build projects. He is married with 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

  During his time in Crosthwaite he has become involved in several community organisations and Charitable Trusts and last November he was elected as a Councillor for the Lyth Valley. He is particularly interested in being part of South Lakes Housing he can use my experience over 50 years in the Construction Industry to its benefit.

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  Andy Shine

  Andy has lived in and around Kendal for nearly the last 55 years having moved here from London as a boy. He worked at K Shoes for 31 years in the commercial side of the business, mainly as a stock controller.

  In 1999 Andy was elected to South Lakeland District Council as a councillor for Kendal Heron Hill. In 2001 he was appointed to the newly formed Cabinet where he served until May 2011. Since 2006 Andy held the portfolio for Policy, Performance and Resources. The prospect of the Transfer with all its implications to both the tenants, South Lakes Housing and South Lakeland District Council is the main reason Andy is keen to be part of South Lakes Housing.

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  Philip Dixon

  Philip Dixon was born and raised in Kendal. He has four grown up children and lives in Milnthorpe with his wife Janette. Phillip is the Councillor for the Kendal Highgate Ward and also works within the family business the Kendal Creperie, supporting events in the local area. Phillip's interests include running and hill walking and he is a member of the Bob Graham Club!

  Philip believes it is a privilege to be part of South Lakes Housing and is particularly keen to promote and protect the needs of local people. Phillips believes social housing is absolutely essential in providing community well-being

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  Janet Willis

  Janet was elected as the County Councillor for Low Furness in 2009 and District Councillor for Mid Furness in 2011. Janet is also the joint owner of Greenodd Village Store, near Ulverston.

  Prior to moving to South Cumbria in 2002 Janet worked for Northern Rock Plc, at their head office in Gosforth. As a manager at Northern Rock her main focus was on customer service and transaction processing and she also has some experience in training. In 2009 Janet worked at Furness Enterprise, delivering a 'business start up' course.