Our Board

Diane Creighton

Diane, the current Vice Chair, has been a Trustee since Jan 2016. She brings over 30 years experience in Social Housing through various roles working in Homelessness and Advice, Housing Management, Service Development, Policy and Performance, Strategy and Business Development, Governance and Communication as well as Project Management of Welfare Reform.

Diane has a track record of working with people from many different backgrounds and in often challenging and continually changing environments. She is committed to the region, its people and its culture. Diane has other experience as a Board member with a small Mediation Project and a local health service provider.

Russell Hewitson

Russell Hewitson initially qualified as a solicitor and practised with Ward Hadaway before moving to Northumbria University where he is an Associate Professor of Law. Russell is a magistrate on the South Northumbria Bench. He is Chair of Law Society’ Conveyancing and Land Law Committee and a centre fellow of the Cambridge Centre for Property Law at the University of Cambridge. Russell is also a trustee of Netherton Park Trust.

Ian Mackintosh

I have over 40 years of experience in Local Government finance having worked in a variety of roles in local authorities across the North East. There are not many areas of finance that I have not been involved in at one time or another but my specialism is in regeneration finance.

My major role was that of Head of Finance at Bridging NewcastleGateshead. This was the cross-authority Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder programme with a principal focus on housing market renewal and growth. BNG was classified by The Audit Commission as ‘performing strongly’ overall for three years in succession and particular comment was made in terms of the efficiency and effectiveness of the Partnership. This is an area of work that I took the lead on and encompassed programme and performance management, efficiency planning, business planning, financial modelling, risk management and all things ‘value for money’.

I have spent many years working with and advising a range of management teams, regeneration boards, council committees, boards of governors and trustee boards and I fully understand the difference between governance and management.
Since taking early retirement in 2015 I have utilised my skills in the charity sector initially working with the Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust in a voluntary capacity. I currently work with The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company, a small charity run by and for adults with learning difficulties, providing financial support.

I am a Trustee and Vice Chair of Citizens Advice Newcastle where I have been helping to develop financial management, business planning and fundraising strategies to help improve the lives of vulnerable people in Newcastle.

Clare Blunt

Clare has been a member of the board since January 2016 and has specific Director responsibility for Residents.

Clare has a strong background as a qualified Social Worker, having worked in various settings in both adult and young people’s services, but predominantly in Adult Mental Health Services. She is experienced in supporting adults with enduring mental health difficulties both in community and acute psychiatric settings. Clare also worked for many years as an Approved Mental Health Professional (formally Approved Social Worker).

More recently Clare has moved away from Social Work and now runs her own training business, delivering mental health and wellbeing training into various businesses, across many settings. Clare is an Associate, and is also on the National Training Team, for Mental Health First Aid England CIC.

Clare is passionate about ensuring that Haven Tyneside Ltd should keep the Residents at the very heart of everything they do.

Nitin Shukla

Nitin is Policy, Performance and Scrutiny Officer at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria and is currently seconded to Northumbria Police to focus on workforce development. He has worked in the public sector for over 30 years and has experience of equality and diversity. Nitin gained invaluable knowledge of housing whilst serving as a Board member of Your Homes Newcastle and always endeavours to put tenants and staff at the heart of all that he does.

Nitin is Chair of Governors at Bridgewater Primary School; Development Board Member of Marie Curie Hospice and member of the ITV Tyne Tees Diversity Panel. Nitin is also a member of Newcastle University Council and Secretary of the North East Gujarati Association. He is a passionate Rotarian, Past President of Newcastle West Rotary Club.

Patrick Rice DipLM FCMI CIHM MICS AICCM

A Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Institute of Community Safety, and the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, Patrick has many years experience at Board level in the Housing Sector. He has previously served as the National Chair of the ‘Tenants and Residents Executive’ of one of the UK’s largest Social and Supported Housing Providers, as well as served on it’s national Neighbourhood Services Board.

In addition he has previously been a Board Member of ‘The Gateshead Housing Company’, sat on the Board of the then ‘Bridging NewcastleGateshead Partnership’, and is now currently the Chair of the ‘Tyne Valley Rail Users’ Group’, as well as a Director and Board Member of the DfT/CRN Accredited ‘Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership’.

With a career background in Community Safety and Neighbourhood Protection, Law and Order, and Anti-Social Behaviour, he therefore also holds the specific Properties & Accommodation Director portfolio with Haven Tyneside.

He has a keen interest in ensuring Haven continues to provide first-class supported accommodation and services, for some of the most vulnerable in the Community.

Helen Kay

Helen Kay is an experienced employment lawyer with experience in the charitable sector at both advisory and board level.

As well as running her own employment law consultancy business, HMK Legal, Helen is also a consultant solicitor for a local employment law firm. Prior to this she worked for two of the major commercial law firms in Newcastle for a number of years.

Helen is the Director responsible for HR at Haven.

Sally Trueman

My name is Sally Trueman, I was very pleased to be invited to join the Board of Tyneside Haven in June 2019.

Before my disability stopped my career path I had many years in Education and Health. This lead me into volunteering roles within the Church Youth Work programme, Red Cross and supporting families alongside Social services to reach their potential.

I am hoping to bring the housing knowledge which I have gained over the last five years sitting on the board of a major northern Housing association. I am excited to engage with staff and tenants to help future proof this important housing association.

Jim Little

Jim is originally from Northumberland and currently lives in Gateshead. He has worked mainly in the Health & Social Care sector, leading regional and national improvement programmes. Jim currently works for the Care Quality Commission supporting internal quality improvement.

Jim is particularly interested in business planning and governance, ensuring that the Board is compliant in meeting its obligations as a charity and a company. He is involved with one other charity that provides transport for people with disabilities in central Scotland.

Jim is keen to ensure that Haven continues to develop so that all clients continue to live in high-quality accommodation and receive tailored support to enable them to live as independently as possible.

Jim enjoys cooking, reading, caravan holidays and walking his two dogs.

Margaret Ferguson

Margaret Ferguson has over twenty five years experience working with charities and in heritage. As a Funding and Development Consultant she brings a wealth of experiences in project planning and development, securing diverse funding streams, partnership and communications.

Margaret has been a Member of the Board of Directors of Haven (Tyneside ) Ltd since October 2015. Prior to this Margaret was a Committee member of the Institute of Fundraising North East (May 2009 – April 2016) and a Trustee of Tyneside and Northumberland Mind (Nov 2013 – Aug 2015).

She has a MBA from Durham University (specialising in Arts and Charity Management) and BA Hons. in English Literature and History form Northumbria University.

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