Our Board

Our Board exists to make decisions on company strategies, policies and budgets, and to monitor and review our performance. The Board is a mixture of independent professionals, tenants, council nominees and also includes our Chief Executive and Finance Director, all of whom have an interest in the provision of quality, affordable housing.

Independent Members:

Robin Charter (Chairman)

Robin retired from a career in the oil industry as a Human Resources Manager in 1995 but still retains close links with his former company as a member of their Pension Consultation Forum, as well as offering advice to retired members and their dependants. He is also Chairman of Pulborough Youth Club as well as being involved with other local community activities
 

David Avery (Vice Chairman)

David has over 15 years experience managing international business operations for Fortune 500 companies. He has a successful track record running sales, marketing and customer service groups in technology driven organisations. David is a governor for Seaford College, an independent school in Sussex and a Non-Executive Director for a technology start-up company in Phoenix. Arizona. He is also a Non-Executive Director for a health trust in Worthing. He enjoys golf, rugby and especially rowing.

Nola Gyles

Nola works in Pulborough as a solicitor where she specialises in property and probate law. A former school Governor of both Rydon School and Storrington School, she is a member of Billingshurst Choral Society and her other hobbies include skiing, walking and genealogy; she has a great love of the downland countryside.

Peter Lansberry

Peter is a partner in a local accountancy firm Spofforths. His professional career has been in general practice, providing business advice, audit, accountancy and taxation services to the local community. Peter has acted for a number of housing associations and has considerable experience of housing for older people. Outside interests include being treasurer of Horsham Youth Centre and of the Friends of the Armitt Museum in Ambleside, Cumbria, which Peter and his wife visit during their regular trips to the Lake District.

Council Nominees:

Bernard Baldwin

Bernard lives in Cowfold with his family; he spent the first twenty years of his career as a Lloyds Broker working for Sedgwicks and Hogg Insurance Brokers. Since leaving the insurance sector, he and his wife have built up a portfolio of private rental properties. Bernard has just completed eight years as a member of Horsham District Council, his last year served as Chairman. Bernard was a territorial for 23 years and is currently Chairman of Cowfold Parish Council.
 

Tony Bevis

Tony has lived in the Horsham District for over 30 years. He served on Horsham District Council as a Liberal Democrat for five years where he took particular interest in housing and the development of leisure facilities in Steyning and at the Horsham Pavillion. Tony is a business analyst working for a large international insurance company and has worked in insurance in the UK and United States for most of his working life. He enjoys hiking, swimming and cross country skiing and was a Scout Leader for 13 years.
 

Councillor Brian Donnelly

Brian lives in Pulborough and has been the Pulborough and Coldwaltham Ward Horsham District Councillor since 2003. He worked in International Banking in the Middle East and Africa.

He is the Cabinet Member for Leisure & Health on Horsham District Council. As previous Chairman of the Council’s Licensing Committee, he was very much involved in the implementation of the new licensing and gambling laws. He was also Vice-Chairman of the HDC Final Accounts Committee in the last Council Term.

Brian is a member of the Horsham Chess Club and plays for the Sussex Chess Team in the Inter-County Championships. He is a Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator and is a member (watching) of the Arundel Castle Cricket Club. He enjoys distance swimming and walking the downs.

Councillor Pat Rutherford

Pat is a retired teacher who has lived in Horsham for 38 years. She taught in Horsham, Steyning and Cranleigh. Elected to Horsham District Council (Roffey South) in 1988, she has always had a particular interest in housing. A North Horsham Parish councillor, director of Horsham Age Concern, school governor of Kingslea School. Pat enjoys visiting her son in Germany, pottering in the garden and looking after her two Yorkshire terriers.

Tenant Nominees:

Gerald Jacobs

Gerald had a career at Christ’s Hospital retiring as clerk of works with responsibility for 35 members of staff.  Apart from being a Governor of Christ's Hospital, Gerald is a keen gardener, a member of the National Trust and of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Gerald is also a member of our Tenants’ Forum.



 

Kirsty Dumbrill

Kirsty has been involved with the community as a Parish Councillor and Treasurer of a junior football team. She is a long standing member of the Tenants' Forum. Although most of her time is spent looking after her family she enjoys walking her dog, reading and camping.






 

Tony Walshe

Tony moved to Horsham in 1999 having spent a life time moving around. Tony has had a varied life, after prolonged national service he graduated from London University. He then spent a number of years with Dunlop. This was followed by time in an industry related quango, a period of self-employment and finally as a teacher of English to foreign students. As a tenant of Saxon Weald, Tony enjoys contributing to the provision of decent homes in decent neighbourhoods. Tony is Chairman of the Tenants’ Forum.


 

Winifred Davey

Winfred moved to England 1988. Keen to learn she took two GCSEs in Accounting and Spanish through adult education. Winfred taught Mandarin as an adult education course for seven years and currently teaches the subject at Millais school in Horsham. In addition, Winifred is a volunteer at Southwater police office and treasurer of Horsham Area Community Car Scheme.

Executive directors:

Norman Hill

Norman started his career in local government where he qualified as a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in 1987. He also worked in higher education before moving to the social housing sector. Norman has been Finance Director of Saxon Weald since July 2001 and a Board member since September 2007.



 

David Standfast

A former town planner and Council housing and health director, David has been Chief Executive of Saxon Weald since September 2000 and a Board member since 2004. He considers an excellent association is based on good staff recruited to provide high quality customer service. David enjoys watching rugby and participating in running.





 

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