Governance

Jacinta Balchin (chair) has worked in the social housing sector since 2003. Starting out with a small East London housing association and progressing to one of the larger G15 London groups, her experience spans a variety of roles in housing finance, treasury, property legal, and asset management. Having served as a trustee of George Green’s Almshouses since 2017, Jacinta became Chair in 2024. She especially values the opportunity to focus attention on a particular resident group and respond to a specific housing need in the local community.

Steve Robertson (secretary) has been involved with George Green’s Almshouses since the early 1980s, originally collecting weekly maintenance contributions when the old almshouses in Upper North Street, Poplar were managed by Springboard Housing Association. Steve is a retired Company Secretary and was involved in transferring the charity from the corporate trusteeship of Springboard to individual trustees in 2008 and was invited to become Secretary in 2012. As Secretary, he has helped arrange loan finance, grants and the conversion of the charity into a CIO.

After graduating with a BA in Housing Policy and Practice, Jacqui Airey’s career has encompassed a broad span of settings and roles, including working with street homeless women in Kings Cross, supporting over 700 female residents through a five-year housing refurbishment programme, and in several management roles at Circle Housing (later Clarion). Since 2018, Jacqui has worked for THCH – an independent, community focused housing organisation in Tower Hamlets – where she is Head of Data and Performance.

Having worked in investment banking and then as director of an educational publishing and training company, Graham Barker has a broad grounding in business and finance. In 2010 he set up social enterprise, Walk East, where he has led community projects in Tower Hamlets spanning heritage, journalism and photography. A long-time East End resident and keen local historian, he would like to ensure the legacy of George Green continues to supporting local women with affordable, high-quality housing.

Sinéad Gavin has a keen interest in the provision of affordable housing, and founded the first homelessness society at their University where they liaised with local homelessness charities and government to link students with volunteering and fundraising opportunities. Since then, Sinéad has worked in policy within both the charity sector and civil service, focusing on campaigning and environmental issues. They are particularly interested in ensuring the historic roots and governing structure of George Green’s Almshouses adapt to and reflect a modern society.

After finishing his studies in Mathematics and Finance in France, Seb Villard came to London to work in investment banking. Very quickly he got involved in local community projects in Tower Hamlets where he has been living for more than ten years. He is a Director of Millwall Rugby Club, where he serves as treasurer and coaches rugby to youths on the Isle of Dogs. He is also a volunteer at the homelessness charity, St Mungo’s.

Alison Westbrook joined the trustees in 2016, but has been involved with almshouses since she was a solicitor in private practice, helping many Kent almshouses and their trustees. She diversified into governance in the social housing sector – working for Circle (later Clarion) and Look Ahead Care and Support in London – before taking on her current role as Company Secretary at CAF Bank. Alison has enjoyed being part of the expansion of GGA, and bringing more almshouses into the borough, and looking forward to doing more.