This Trustees Week (4 – 8 November), homeless charity Oasis Community Housing announces the appointment of two new trustees to help steer the charity in the face of growing need.
Jonathan Wood and Steve Coles bring expertise in operations, housing and health, respectively, as latest figures show over 320,000 households are facing homelessness, a record high.
Oasis Community Housing works to tackle the root causes of homelessness as well as supporting over 1,300 men, woman and children on their journeys out of homelessness each year. This year marks 40 years since the charity was founded.
The charity’s Chair of trustees, Nick Salisbury, said:
“We warmly welcome Jonathan Wood and Steve Coles as new members of the board of trustees. Their invaluable experience will further enrich our Board’s ability to play an active role in leveraging the charity’s life-changing work, to achieve the greatest impact for people facing homelessness.
“We really appreciate and value the input of all of our trustees, who freely give their experience and expertise to help Oasis Community Housing continue working with people, who have often suffered unimaginable traumas, to reach their God-given potential.”
New charity trustees are:
Jonathan Wood – Jonathan is CEO of the Leeds Diocesan Board of Finance. Prior to this, he had a varied career within the Ministry of Justice, latterly as the National Services Director of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service. In all of Jonathan’s roles, his focus has been on making a positive difference to people through effective and efficient operations.
Steve Coles – Steve works in a variety of leadership, governance and advisory roles in the social sector, with particular expertise in homelessness, housing and health. Formerly the CEO of Spitalfields Crypt Trust, an addictions recovery and homelessness charity in east London, Steve is now the Chair of J49, a registered provider of social housing; the Chair of the Guild of Health, which helps churches be places of health, healing and flourishing; and is on the leadership team of The Salvation Army church where he lives in south west London.
Commenting on his appointment, Jonathan said:
“I’m excited to be joining Oasis Community Housing. I have heard really good things about the work it does, and the people who do it from fellow trustees. I am looking forward to being able to bring my perspective from running a large charity with a significant property portfolio and to support the team as they continue to deliver and make a difference for those in need.”
Commenting on his appointment, Steve said:
“I am really pleased to have been appointed as a trustee of Oasis Community Housing. It’s an organisation that I have known and admired for quite a few years, particularly in relation to its trauma-informed work and Housing First projects. Being part of an organisation with strong values, a passion for creating positive change, and an amazing team is a real privilege. The work of Oasis Community Housing is life-changing and nothing short of life-saving. I’m looking forward to playing a small part in it all over the coming years.”
Oasis Community Housing’s Acting Chief Executive, Sarah Lister, said she was looking forward to working with the newly expanded Board:
“We’re seeing shocking numbers of people facing the daily crisis of homelessness rise higher and higher, year on year. The need has never been greater.
“We welcome our charity trustees, who bring new perspectives and professional expertise that will help us continue to hone our delivery of frontline, trauma-informed support to more people, in more places.”
For more information about Oasis Community Housing, visit oasiscommunityhousing.org