Making a difference as an Orwell customer board member
Orwell Housing Association is looking for a customer to join its board, and to help you decide we’ve spoken to our existing customer board member to find out about his experience…
Stuart Appleby joined the board in March 2021 after receiving support from Orwell when he was made homeless as a single parent. Now, he’s a shared owner of an Orwell property.
A passionate advocator of social housing, he joined the board as he wanted to give back to the Orwell community and share his insights as a customer.
If you’re an Orwell customer and would like to make a meaningful difference to your community, follow the button below to apply!
What was your experience like as an Orwell customer?
My experience of being a customer with Orwell Housing has been incredibly good.
Orwell supported me when I was a single parent. I was unfortunately made homeless when Orwell stepped in and provided secure accommodation in Ipswich for me and my son.
I found them extremely responsive. They’re a caring organisation. They sponsored me with clothing to go for a work interview, which led me to the role that I’m actually in now, full time at Eastern Education Group.
The seeds all began with Orwell Housing.
Why did you become a board member of Orwell?
Having such fantastic support from Orwell Housing Association and the sponsorship they gave me to be able to buy a suit, to be able to secure teaching and employment, and a brand new home for me and my son. I really felt it was important to give something back.
So I went through the application process. This was during Covid and luckily I was successful and I was appointed.
Throughout my time on the board it’s been extremely beneficial in terms of upskilling me professionally and being able to network, and to be able to give something back to Orwell Housing Association and the customers of Orwell to represent them.
Did being a customer help you in your role as a board member?
Certainly.
Being a customer gave me a view and a critical lens from a customer’s perspective which turned out to be extremely useful at board. I could see things from the angle of the customer and how decisions that are made actually impact the customer within their homes.
Do you feel you’ve made an impact as a board member?
As a board member, I believe that my representation at board is extremely valued. I feel very much respected by other board members.
I don’t feel I’m just treated as a customer and ignored and sidelined, the board are very much engaged with what I have to say.
I think they enjoy my input – my constructive challenge to support customer voice, customer focus, and it’s been thoroughly enjoyable.
What advice would you give to customers wanting to apply?
I would thoroughly recommend to customers, to anybody within the Orwell Housing community, to apply to be a board member.
I wouldn’t have any reservations in recommending that. The board are extremely welcoming, extremely friendly, very professional and they want your engagement.
They need your input and your input is respected. It’s valid. If anyone had any reservations – there’s always going to be the anxiety around going into a board member role – I would still say pursue it.
If you’re a customer and would like to become a board member, you can find the information you need and apply here by 25th October 2026.
Find out more about our board here.
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