York Housing Association appoints new Chair

Monks Cross-based York Housing Association, which owns and manages social housing across York, Leeds, Scarborough and the East Riding of Yorkshire, has announced details of its new chair.  Kevin McAleese will take the reins of the organisation in September 2014 as chair of its board.

Mr McAleese is an experienced non-executive director with a CV including chairing NHS North Yorkshire and York, the NHS Working Longer Review Group, the City of York Safeguarding Adults Board and the Independent Advisory Panel for the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.  He left his role as head of Harrogate Grammar School in 2002 to work as an improvement advisor across three Academy schools, alongside his voluntary chairing positions.

“I am very excited to be able to take up this role at a time of change for social housing providers.  It is now becoming widely recognised that health and housing are intrinsically linked, with clinical practitioners for the first time undertaking ‘social prescribing’ – for example specifying that patients with chronic pulmonary disease need a new boiler to improve their health - so one of my goals is to build stronger links between the health and social housing sectors,” says Mr McAleese.

Mr McAleese takes over the chair from Jolyon Harrison, who completes his maximum nine-year term as chair of York Housing Association (YHA) in September.  “I am leaving York Housing Association with robust finances and making a positive contribution to the communities in which it operates.  I know that Kevin, with his extensive experience of chairing a wide variety of socially-focussed organisations, will be able to take the reins and continue the success of the association, leading it through the challenges of the future,” says Mr Harrison.

“We are incredibly grateful for the work that Jolyon has done for York Housing Association, and we’ve come a long way over the last nine years with him in the chair.  His commercial experience and knowledge of the house building industry has been instrumental in our recent growth,” says chief executive, Julia Histon.  “We know that Kevin’s board expertise will continue to build on our success, with his knowledge of the health sector proving invaluable as we move to work more closely with healthcare organisations to provide safe, affordable housing and support services to our tenants.”

With three months until he officially takes over the role, Mr McAleese will spend the summer familiarising himself with YHA’s portfolio of properties, meeting staff and tenants and observing board meetings, so that he will hit the ground running when his role as chairman starts in September.  One of his first public engagements with YHA will be a garden party in June, to celebrate the organisation’s 50thanniversary.

Mr McAleese is 67 years old and lives in Harrogate with his wife, Jenny.  He has two grown up children, who both work in film and television.  He was awarded the CBE for services to education in 1998.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

York Housing Association is an independent social business, established in 1964, managing over 850 properties around York, Leeds, Scarborough and the East Riding.  Alongside its role as a social landlord, YHA additionally provides support services for tenants, from benefits advice to lifestyle advice, including ensuring that tenants have access to appropriate medical services, education and training.  For more details, please visit www.yorkha.org.uk

For further media information or photographs, please contact:

Jay Commins

Pyper York Limited

Tel:         01904 500698

Email:    jay@pyperyork.co.uk