Ms Kim Newman, BSc (Hons), FCIPS, MBIFM, FCMI, MInstLM, MIAM, MIOD

Chair

Kim joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2015. Having grown up living in social housing and experienced first-hand the security, community, and life chances that this provided to her family, Kim was clear that her purpose was to give back to the social housing sector through both her business and work and as a Board Member. 

Kim is now Chair of the Board and is also a member of the Governance Committee and Remuneration and Nominations Committee. 

With a background as a surveyor, Kim’s career progressed into procurement, commercial management, change, business strategy and partnership working mainly within the Social Housing, public sector, and commercial property sector.  

Kim is now the founder and Managing Director of PML, a specialist Business Change and Property Services Consultancy and is also a Director of two residential management companies for the Fellowes Plain Development in Norwich. Prior to setting up PML in 1995, Kim spent a number of years at national consultancy practices Capita and Turner & Townsend in various leadership roles and was seconded to a variety of public sector clients to develop and implement their business strategies.

Helen Driver

Vice-chair

Helen joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2019.  Having grown up in Suffolk, Helen is proud of her involvement with Orwell and of its achievements within the community. 

Helen is now Vice Chair of the Board and Vice-Chair of Orwell Homes Limited, as well as being a member of the Audit Committee, Remuneration and Nominations Committee.  Helen is the Money Laundering Principal for the group.

With a background in investment analysis and managing UK equity pension funds and portfolios with organisation such as, Aviva Investors and Standard Life Investments, Helen was responsible for financial communications with shareholders and the investment community.  

Helen has since diversified to working in collaboration with a national financial education charity.

Barbara Thorndick, OBE FCIH BA (Hons)

Board Member

Barbara joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2016. Whilst a student, she experienced a short period of ‘sofa surfing’ homelessness, which ignited a passion in her for the right everyone has to a safe, secure home.

Barbara has spent her career in social housing and is the former Chief Executive of West Kent Housing Association. Under her leadership the association became the first in the country to be awarded top marks by government inspectors for delivering excellent services to residents. In 2007/8 Barbara set up the PlaceShapers Group of housing associations to help represent the interests of community-based associations that further their work through locally based partnerships, and in 2008 she was awarded an OBE for services to social housing. In 2011 she left West Kent and set up her own company, WKT Associates, which provided consultancy and coaching services to a wide range of people and organisations. In 2011 she created a consortium of housing associations, now a not-for-profit company called Communities that Work (CtW), dedicated to supporting unemployed residents into work. In a bid to move towards retirement in 2022 she closed her company but is still providing coaching services to a few special clients.

Barbara is the Chair of Remuneration and Nominations Committee and is also a member of the Audit and Governance Committees.

Jeanette Alfano, MBA BTech (Hons)

Board Member

Jeanette joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2015.  With a passion for the use of technology as an enabler for corporate success, Jeanette brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as a Board Member.

Jeanette is now Chair of the Governance Committee and is a member of Audit Committee, Remuneration and Nominations Committee and the Support and Care Working Tender Group.

Jeanette started her career in computing in 1978 and has a background implementing technology enabled change in both the private and public sector. Her career led to work for a Housing Association where she was responsible for the integration of all the core systems and the transformation of the organisation into a Digital Enterprise.

Jeanette is now retired from her full-time role but still enjoys being part of the Board of Orwell Housing Association.

Cynthia Alers, MBA MA MISSoc

Board Member

Cynthia joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2017.  She chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of the Governance Committee.  She is also a Board member for Orwell Homes Limited and was previously chair of the Audit Committee at the Port of Dover. 

As a European national, Cynthia brings knowledge of alternative models of integrated social care and housing to Orwell.  She is passionate about Orwell’s mission to “make a difference” for all our stakeholders by investing in our diverse communities to improve lives and to transform.

With a background in finance for most of her career, Cynthia has held senior positions in investor relations, corporate strategy and corporate communications for companies including JP Morgan, Sage Group PLC, Laird plc and Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR), where she worked on a wide range of strategic reviews, capital-raisings, IPOs, corporate transformations, and acquisitions.

Cynthia is currently Director of Investor Relations and Capital Markets for AO World plc in addition to her Board position and specialises in stakeholder engagement, regulated companies, debt, and capital markets intelligence, ESG and corporate governance. 

Dayle Bayliss

Board Member

Dayle joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in 2020. Dayle has worked in construction and skills for a number of years and understands first-hand the importance of how skills for life, supporting communities and the homes we live in contribute to our wellbeing, social mobility and thriving communities. Being part of the board enables Dayle to play a part of the Orwell family and having a small part to play in the work Orwell do and the lives they impact.

Dayle is Vice-Chair of Orwell Homes Limited and is also a member of the Governance Committee and is the board nominee for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.

With a background as a Chartered Surveyor, Dayle has already won national and local business awards, including East Anglian Daily Times Young Business Person of the Year 2012, Project ‘@ TheRec’ Winner of the 2015 East of England RICS Regeneration Award and highly commended accolades for her work.

Dayle’s desire to deliver construction services from a different perspective led her to found Dayle Bayliss Ltd, a Surveying, Design and Project Management Consultancy.  This gave Dayle the freedom to exercise her collaborative approach to construction projects, as well as tackle the challenges of skills and diversity in construction. 

Ian Pinches

Board Member

Ian joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2020. With a long background in senior roles within social housing, Ian is passionate about the added value that locality-based housing organisations can bring to a sector that is so often (perhaps misleadingly) defined as being dominated by large organisations operating at a national level.

Ian is now Vice-Chair of Audit Committee and is a member of Remuneration and Nominations Committee and the Support and Care Working and Tender Group.

Ian is a qualified accountant (FCCA) with experience in both senior management and Executive Director roles within the Social Housing and Care sector. Ian also brings over a decade of Non-Executive and Committee Chair experience gained across a variety of organisations in Housing, the NHS, and the Emergency Services.

Although now semi-retired, Ian also has a background in establishing and running a multi award-winning business operating in the Hospitality sector.

Ian has been a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts for over a decade.

Brett Rennolds

Board Member

Brett joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in 2020.  Having begun his career as an outreach worker in the community Brett is clear that affordable housing is directly linked to positive life chances and is committed to equalising those opportunities for all.

Brett is a member of the Audit Committee and the Support and Care Working and Tender Group as well as being a board nominee for Tenant Engagement.

With a background in the voluntary and public sector Brett has a wealth of experience in Business Development, Care & Support.

As a business consultant, Brett works with organisations, groups and individuals to enable development, change and growth, enjoying the challenges associated with change management, co-production and stakeholder engagement, identifying solutions to challenges collaboratively, inclusively and transparently.  Primarily it’s the ‘winning of hearts and minds’ that drives him.

Lauren Bayliss-Fuller

Board Member

Lauren joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2021 and is a member of the Audit Committee and is a board nominee for Tenant Engagement.

Lauren is a Careers Adviser working in a variety of people focused settings, concentrating on providing outstanding information, advice, and guidance to individuals and communities who face barriers to work and learning. She is passionate about motivating and empowering individuals. Lauren has delivered both one to one and group support to many vulnerable individual.

Lauren is a Governor for Bentley CEVC Primary School and sits on the Personnel and Communications committee, with particular responsibility for marketing and working with the school councils. She is also the Link Governor for learning, training and development.

She is known within her team and networks as a kind and compassionate individual who is happy to advocate for others and, despite its challenges, will always do the right thing.

Stuart Appleby

Board Member

Stuart joined the Board of Orwell Housing Association in March 2021 and is a former tenant of the Association and is now a shared owner of an Orwell property. Stuart is a passionate advocator for social housing and a firm believer in the socio-economic benefits that it provides to individuals and the wider community.

Stuart is a member of the Governance Committee as well as being a board nominee for Tenant Engagement.

For the past ten years, Stuart has been actively involved in Orwell Housing’s Resident Steering Group, giving him a critical lens through which to view the inner workings of Orwell as it has developed and evolved.

Stuart is the Director of HE Operations within the department of University Studies at West Suffolk College and has previously held the positions of Head of Health & Human Sciences and lecturer in Humanities and Business Management.