Behind every service we provide is a team of dedicated people working to support our residents and communities. Get to know some of our colleagues, learn about their roles, and discover what they're passionate about both inside and outside of work.
Jordan
Intensive Support Officer (Move on Accommodation) and Mental Health First Aider
Tell us a bit about your role:
I work at Bunning Mews, Fairhive's first supported accommodation scheme. The service consists of seven self-contained flats that were purpose-built for single residents who are not owed a statutory homelessness duty. It serves as a move-on pathway for former rough sleepers who require lower-level support to maintain their independence.
In my role, I provide holistic tenancy sustainment support, helping residents address a wide range of needs. This includes supporting them with Jobcentre and Universal Credit appointments, helping them maximise their income through benefits advice, ensuring bills and rent are paid on time, and signposting them to specialist support services such as One Recovery Bucks, Bucks Mind, the Whiteleaf Centre and many more agencies across Buckinghamshire.
I also support residents to explore employment, training and volunteering opportunities, helping them build confidence, develop life skills and improve their long-term prospects. My overall aim is to empower residents to successfully sustain their tenancy and move on to independent living within a two-year timeframe.
What is your favourite thing about your job/working at Fairhive?
The people I work with are one of the things I enjoy most about my role. Throughout my various positions at Fairhive, I have been fortunate to work alongside supportive colleagues and managers who have always been there to offer guidance and encouragement. Having such a strong support network makes the daily challenges of the job much easier to manage.
I also take great satisfaction in the positive impact we have on residents' lives. Through the work we do, we help people build more stable and independent futures while contributing to safer, stronger communities. Knowing that I can make a real difference in someone's life is one of the most rewarding aspects of working for Fairhive.
How long have you been at Fairhive and why did you join?
My journey with Fairhive began almost nine years ago when I joined as a 17-year-old apprentice. The apprenticeship allowed me to learn while earning, providing valuable hands-on experience alongside my studies. During this time, I achieved my Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 CIH (Chartered Institute of Housing) qualifications in Housing. The skills, knowledge and experience I gained have helped me progress into permanent housing roles and establish a successful career in the sector.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink" is a saying that strongly resonates with me and guides my approach to work. In my role, I provide intensive support to some of the most vulnerable residents in our community. However, successful outcomes require a mutual commitment. While I can offer guidance, encouragement and practical support, the individual must also be willing to engage and make positive changes. When residents are not ready or willing to improve their circumstances, progress can be much more challenging to achieve. I believe the most effective support comes from working collaboratively with residents who are motivated to better their lives, enabling us to achieve meaningful and lasting outcomes together.
Toby
Operations Project Officer and Employee Consultative Committee Member (ECC)
Tell us a bit about your role
As an Operations Project Officer, I work on a variety of projects that help improve the way we work across Fairhive. My role involves working with different teams, reviewing processes and supporting projects that make day-to-day work more efficient and effective. I enjoy the variety that comes with the role, as every project brings new challenges and opportunities to learn.
What is your favourite thing about your job/working at Fairhive?
My favourite thing about working at Fairhive is the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from across the organisation and learn from different teams. I really enjoy the variety of projects I get involved in and the chance to make improvements that have a positive impact on how we work. Seeing an idea develop into a change that benefits others is especially rewarding.
How long have you been at Fairhive and why did you join?
I joined Fairhive in January 2025. I was looking for an opportunity to develop myself through an apprenticeship while gaining experience across a wide range of projects. The chance to learn, grow and contribute to meaningful improvements made Fairhive a great fit for me.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
One of the best pieces of advice I've been given is that not everything has to be perfect. Sometimes it's more important to make progress, learn from your experiences and keep improving rather than waiting for everything to be exactly right before taking action.
Tell us something interesting about yourself outside of work.
I'm a big car enthusiast and enjoy spending time at the gym. I enjoy activities that challenge me and help me keep learning and improving.
What makes your role rewarding?
What makes my role rewarding is being able to make improvements that help colleagues in their day-to-day work. I enjoy working with different teams across Fairhive, understanding their challenges and helping deliver changes that make processes more efficient.
Faye
Employee Development Business Partner and Neurodiversity Champion
Tell us a bit about your role
As an Employee Development Business Partner, I help colleagues build the skills, confidence and inclusive practices needed to succeed in their roles. I help identify learning and development needs, create training opportunities, and support projects that help colleagues grow and develop.
I work closely with teams to ensure our learning and development activities support Fairhive's goals. By listening to feedback and reviewing data, I continually improve our programmes to make sure they have a positive impact for all.
Alongside my role in Employee Development, I am proud to be a Neurodiversity Champion. I help raise awareness and promote understanding of neurodiversity in order to build an inclusive environment where neurodivergent colleagues feel recognised, supported and valued. Different ways of thinking and working make our organisation stronger and create a workplace where everyone can succeed.
What is your favourite thing about working at Fairhive?
I’m lucky to work with colleagues who are passionate, supportive and genuinely committed to making a difference. I also really value the flexibility that Fairhive offers, which helps me to balance my work while continuing to deliver the best possible support.
Most importantly, I love knowing that the work we do has a real impact on people’s lives. Whether we are developing colleagues, supporting organisational goals or contributing to wider business objectives, we are helping people have more than a safe place to live. We are helping them create a home and build a better future, and I’m proud to be part of that every day.
How long have you been at Fairhive and why did you join?
I’ve been at Fairhive for nearly two years. I joined because I wanted to do work that genuinely makes a difference, and Fairhive’s purpose strongly resonated with me. Having a positive impact on people’s lives is something that has always been important to me.
What makes your role rewarding?
The most rewarding part of my role is seeing those “aha” moments when learning translates into real behaviour change. Whether it’s watching someone grow in confidence, seeing a new skill being applied, or hearing from a manager that they’ve noticed a positive difference, those moments make the work worthwhile. Knowing that I’ve helped someone develop and succeed is what motivates me to keep striving for better.
Tell us something interesting about yourself
I love learning new things and am currently working towards Grade 4 Saxophone. Whether it’s developing new skills at work or taking on a personal challenge, I’m always looking for opportunities to learn and grow.
Oh and I have a Beagle called Toby who is 3 and currently in very early stages of training to be a trick dog! We will see how this goes!
Why are you proud to work at Fairhive?
Fairhive is an organisation that genuinely cares. It cares about doing the right thing for both residents and colleagues. Do we get everything right all the time? Of course not, no organisation does. What makes Fairhive special is the commitment to listening, learning and taking action to make things better. That culture of care, openness and continuous improvement is something I’m proud to be part of.
John
Assistant Director of People and part of our Anti-Racism Group, Neurodiversity Champions, Management Rep for Employee Consultative Committee
Tell us a bit about your role
I am responsible for our human resources, employee development, communications, marketing and partnerships. I lead our People Engagement Team to deliver a consistent service and a positive contribution to employee well-being and engagement
I am particularly passionate about all things Equality, Diversity and Inclusion related having lived with Type 1 diabetes for nearly 35 years. I am pleased that I can be very open about my disability within Fairhive and I am proud that Fairhive is a Disability Confident Leader.
What is your favourite thing about your job/working at Fairhive?
The two main reasons why I love my role are firstly the wonderful people I work with on a daily basis who are so committed to making a difference both for our residents and our communities.
Secondly, the work I do has such a positive difference across our company such as our PSA testing offered to all male colleagues aged 40 and over – this has been successful in detecting early-stage prostate cancer so that treatment was possible.
How long have you been at Fairhive and why did you join?
I have worked at Fairhive for 11 years and I joined as I wanted to work in the charity sector having had a successful 20 years working in retail. From the day I walked in the door and was greeted with such warmth and kindness, I have always enjoyed working here.
Tell us something interesting about yourself
As a boy, I learned to play the piano and passed my Grade 8 exam as a teenager. It has been wonderful to play the piano for our colleagues particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic when no one could attend live music events. Over the years, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to perform such as doing a duet with a fellow colleague who was a talented cellist. All colleagues have such amazing hidden talents.
Sarah
Governance Officer and Neurodiversity Champion
Tell us a bit about your role:
I support the Governance Team by maintaining our policy and procedure log, working with all teams to ensure our documents are reviewed, updated, approved and published as required. I support with our KPI reporting, document sealing and insurance claims.
What is your favourite thing about your job/working at Fairhive?
My favourite part of my role is the document work, including proof reading and formatting documents. My favourite part of working at Fairhive is the people I work with, and the support that we provide for each other.
How long have you been at Fairhive and why did you join?
I’ve worked at Fairhive for nearly 12 years. I started as a temp and luckily as my contract came to an end my perfect idea of a role became available.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Be yourself!
What was your first ever job?
Working for my Mum, in our Newsagent shop in Tring.
