Changing Lives Homes

I joined Changing Lives in 1995 as a Finance Officer, and what brought me here is the same thing that has kept me here for thirty years: a strong belief in the organisation’s purpose and its commitment to supporting people facing homelessness, and the overlapping challenges that so often come alongside it, including abuse, mental health, poverty and hardship.

I became Chief Executive in 2002 and since then have had the privilege of watching a Newcastle-based charity grow into one that is recognised as a national leader in supporting people that society has sometimes forgotten. Day to day, my role is about leading the charity’s strategic direction, supporting colleagues and making sure the organisation stays focused, effective and true to its values. But what makes it meaningful is simpler than that. Most of the people we support have experienced childhood trauma. To see the impact our frontline services have on individuals and their families is genuinely humbling.

My dedication to this work was recognised with an OBE, something I remain proud of.

Away from work, you will most likely find me on the golf course at Hobson, travelling somewhere new with my wife, or cheering on Newcastle United. I am currently working my way through Quentin Jardine’s Bob Skinner novels, I am on number 28 in the series and I would not dream of starting anywhere other than the beginning. We have also just finished watching Legends on Netflix, which was brilliant.

One thing that tends to surprise people: I have one blue eye and one brown eye, a trait I share with the late David Bowie. I had high hopes this would come with superpowers. It has not.

I have been a trustee at Changing Lives Housing for a year and a half. I was drawn to the role because I wanted to use my skills and knowledge to give something back, and because I believe strongly that having a safe and comfortable place to stay is a basic necessity, particularly when someone is facing hardship. I also saw it as an opportunity for shared learning and to deepen my understanding of the voluntary sector and supported housing for vulnerable adults and children.

At its heart, I think being a trustee starts with genuinely caring about the wellbeing of the people you are there to serve. Everything else flows from that. In practice it means making sure the charity is doing everything it should to achieve its mission, that activities are purposeful, and that the strategic direction continues to improve and expand what we can offer to people who need it.

What I find most meaningful is knowing that the role carries real responsibility, and that I can play a part in shaping something that makes a tangible difference to people’s lives, particularly during a cost of living crisis when the pressures on vulnerable people are so acute.

My first job was as an Avon representative, selling cosmetics and fragrances door to door before the digital age, when orders had to be placed by post. If the order did not go in on time, I did not get paid. It was a great early lesson in self-motivation and meeting deadlines, and it helped build a confidence I have carried ever since.

The best advice I have been given is simple: believe in yourself. People will always find reasons to doubt you, but if you back yourself it does not matter. Keep your eyes forward.

Outside work I enjoy Netflix documentaries, jogging when I can, and I am currently reading A Mucky Business by Tim Farron. I have Rome, Massachusetts and New York on my bucket list. And one thing that tends to raise eyebrows: I spent time working in Mallorca in 2007 and 2008, during which I was, briefly, a karaoke host.

I have been part of the Changing Lives family for thirty years, having more or less fallen into the role as part of a job change at the time. Over those three decades I have worked across a number of roles and services, including as a project worker and lead, and a three-year spell setting up and running the Changing Lives FareShare service in the North East. I have been doing my current safety role for almost twenty years.

It is always a difficult question to answer, what do you actually do, because like most roles it is a lot more than the job description suggests. My days generally split into two categories. The planned side covers the regulatory standards and objectives you would expect: managing Health and Safety and Fire Safety strategy and compliance, carrying out audits, visiting projects and delivering training, as well as working with our asset and mobilisation team to set up new properties and services across the country. The reactive side varies day to day and means supporting colleagues and managers when issues arise, whether that is dealing with an incident or providing advice and guidance to help resolve something. There is also no shortage of the less glamorous but important administrative work, from arranging fire risk assessments and fire door surveys to chasing up purchase orders.

I am genuinely passionate about the health, safety and wellbeing of staff and the people we work with, and that is what motivates me to provide support wherever I can to help keep people safe and well.

My advice to anyone starting out in health and safety is this: it is easy early in your career to see every situation as a potential risk and become overly risk averse before you find your feet and your confidence. I once heard a presenter at an event say that if you have reassurance that good health and safety standards are in place, then review and monitor what you have. You do not always need to keep chasing the golden chalice of continual improvement.

Growing up, like a lot of kids, I was heavily into sport and dreamed about pulling on the green and white hoops of Glasgow Celtic or representing County Antrim at hurling. Neither materialised, but it is good to have dreams. I am still a big kid at heart, and after twenty years in health and safety I still have not entirely decided what I want to be when I grow up.

Outside work my taste in music, TV and books is fairly eclectic. At home it is Kerrang radio, in the car it is classical, usually film and TV soundtracks rather than anything traditional. I am not much for fiction and tend to read factual, historical books, and my TV taste runs along similar lines, from history channels to Aussie Gold Hunters and Forged in Fire.

Geraldine has been a Trustee at Changing Lives for 10 years and now serves on the Board of Changing Lives Homes. She was first introduced to the charity by former Chair Baroness Hilary Armstrong, who felt Geraldine’s experience as Chief Executive of Derwentside Homes would bring valuable housing expertise to the Board. After meeting Stephen Bell and learning more about the organisation’s work, she was immediately inspired by the passion, commitment and practical support Changing Lives provides.

In her role, Geraldine asks questions, offers support and helps ensure Changing Lives Homes remains financially strong, provides safe and good-quality homes, and continues to make a positive difference for the people it supports. The most meaningful part of the role is hearing from people whose lives have been transformed, whether through finding a safe home, rebuilding their confidence or moving forward with their lives.

Outside her role, Geraldine enjoys yoga, reading the news and walking along the coast or through the countryside. As a child, she was also something of a pogo stick champion and could even bounce up and down steps. Having recently fulfilled a lifelong ambition to visit the town of Geraldine in New Zealand, her next bucket-list adventure is a trip to Oslo and the Norwegian fjords.

I have been a trustee at Changing Lives for six years. What drew me to the role was a genuine desire to make a difference, particularly for vulnerable people. The board and organisation were going through significant changes at the time, and I was excited to be part of that.

In practice, the role involves board meetings every two months, preparation beforehand, and a lot of coffee and biscuits. More seriously, it means steering the direction of the organisation, keeping it financially sound, managing risk and ensuring compliance. Crucially, it means working alongside some fantastic people who all want to do the same thing.

I believe doing good does you good, and this is a key way for me to do exactly that. The best advice I have ever been given aligns with that: be honest and be yourself. There is only one you.

I did a law degree but decided against becoming a solicitor and landed in housing instead. I now work on the operations side, though at heart I am a true policy geek. My first job was delivering milk at thirteen, which taught me to rise early and get your game head on. That instinct has stayed with me. These days my equivalent is strength training at the gym, which is my favourite way to clear my head after a working day.

Outside of work I keep one eye on supported housing developments and one eye on the political landscape. The other reading material at the moment is Marian Keyes. I also watch Married at First Sight, which I will openly admit to, and listen to The Rest is History podcast. My bucket list is not complicated: I am determined to get to Rome to see the Colosseum.

Alex first became a Trustee on the main Board in 2003 and is currently Chair of Changing Lives Homes. He became involved when Tyneside Cyrenians, as Changing Lives was then known, became a client of the law firm where he worked. Through that relationship, Alex learned more about the organisation and developed a strong admiration for its work supporting people experiencing rough sleeping.

As Chair of Changing Lives Homes, Alex leads the quarterly Board meetings and represents the Homes Board when liaising with the main Changing Lives Board. The most rewarding part of the role is hearing the individual stories of people who have been supported to turn their lives around. For Alex, these stories bring to life the dedication and hard work that colleagues across Changing Lives put into projects every day.

Outside his role, Alex is a keen rower and Chair of Tyne United Rowing Club, where he enjoys making the most of the River Tyne and its long rowing history. Since retiring, his bucket list has continued to grow. He hopes to visit Japan and is currently working towards passing his Grade 6 clarinet exam, having first attempted it around 30 years ago. His first job was a holiday role in a bakery in Norway, where he discovered that apple pastries taste particularly good straight from the oven at 6am.

Anthony has been a Trustee at Changing Lives since January 2024. He was drawn to the role because he shares the organisation’s values and strongly believes in its mission. Having experienced homelessness himself, Anthony felt his lived experience could bring an important perspective to the Board. After meeting a fellow trustee at an unrelated event, he realised Changing Lives was an organisation where he could make a meaningful contribution.

As a Trustee, Anthony helps shape the organisation’s direction, supports and challenges the executive team, and asks the questions needed to ensure Changing Lives continues to deliver the best possible outcomes for the people and communities it serves. The most meaningful part of the role is visiting projects and seeing the impact of the organisation’s work first-hand. Meeting staff, hearing their stories and seeing their dedication in action is both humbling and inspiring.

Anthony lives on the coast and starts or ends most days with a walk along the beach. At weekends, he enjoys exploring Northumberland and the Lake District, whether hiking, canoeing or kayaking. Spending time outdoors and away from screens helps him recharge. The best advice he has ever been given is: “If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect anyone else to believe in you?”

I joined the board in February 2026, so I am still very much finding my feet. What drew me to the role was the charity’s purpose: practical, tangible support for people at the points where it matters most. It is also personal. I have family members who have struggled with addiction, and I have seen first hand how hard it can be to find a way back. Being part of an organisation focused on that kind of recovery and reintegration felt like a meaningful way to contribute.

As a newer trustee, my focus so far has been on getting to grips with how the charity operates and understanding where my background in commercial and litigation work can be most useful. In plain terms, the role is about making sure the charity runs well, spends its money sensibly and stays focused on the people it exists to help.

The best advice I have ever been given came from my parents: do not exaggerate. I love a good story, both hearing them and telling them, but I learned early that if you embellish too much you start to look like a liar even when you are not. Keep stories interesting on their own merits. It has served me well in law, in life and in parenting two children.

Something that tends to surprise people: alongside my legal work, I design and programme software and run a software company. People assume the two worlds do not overlap. I quite enjoy showing that they do.

Outside work I live by the sea, which means walking and time in the garden when the weather allows. I also make time for family, exercise, reading and computer games. On the bucket list: three months in Japan, long enough to actually live there for a while rather than just pass through.