I’ve worked in social housing for 20 years and it really matters to me to make a difference. The sector is very collaborative and supportive, with lots of knowledge sharing and working together to create the best solutions.
Leeds Federated Housing Association has around 4,500 homes. I lead a team of 12 and we cover everything from financial transactions, processing rents and rent setting, and paying suppliers, through to regulatory compliance and preparing the statutory accounts and the internal reports for management and the board.
The volatile economic and political environment can make it hard to plan with any certainty. So I ensure that business plans are stress-tested against different scenarios – such as even higher levels of inflation, falls in house prices – and then apply mitigations to produce a financially resilient plan.
When we are mindful we are able to be in the present moment, something that has helped me a lot
As a child, my dream was to work in a travel agent. I took a degree in tourism management, where I realised my strength lay in finance-related modules. I worked in a travel agent on the foreign exchange counter, and from there I moved on to a finance role with a charity. Unable to deny my strength in finance any longer, I started working as a finance officer for a housing association. I studied for the ACCA qualification, as I felt it would give me the foundation on which to build a career. I found studying very stressful, but I passed every exam first time.
After benefiting from practising mindfulness, I decided I wanted to bring the benefits to others. I am now a qualified teacher, accredited with the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches. I have set up a venture called Untangled, deliver an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course, and enjoy designing bitesize workshops and taster sessions. My practice supports my work at Leeds Federated, helping to create a sense of wellbeing among colleagues and a calming influence for my team. When we are mindful we are able to be in the present moment, something which helped me a lot when raising my family and working.
It pays to be objective and curious, and practise self-compassion
One of my biggest non-work achievements is finding that balance between work and home. Mindfulness has been a great help to me in doing this. Without it you can end up living your life on autopilot. It pays to be objective and curious, and practise self-compassion.
Away from work, I love travel and going on day-trips with my family and our dog. I make sure to get out every day and enjoy doing yogalates. I love to keep learning too and listen to podcasts on leadership and personal development.
