Welcome to WISH North West

Helen has over 15 years of experience in Change and Transformation, having transitioned from policing to housing in 2018.

As Chair of the WISH NW Board, Helen is deeply passionate about supporting the development of women in the workplace, advocating for greater access to opportunities, mentorship, and breaking down the barriers women often face. She is excited to contribute to the WISH NW community, fostering a positive and empowering network for women in housing.

Outside of her professional life, Helen is a proud mother of two, an avid festival enthusiast, and passionate about fitness, starting to dip her toe into duathlons.

Amy is an Associate Solicitor at MSB Solicitors and has over 16 years experience dealing specifically with social housing litigation acting for both Registered Social Landlords and Tenants. Amy has a passion for all aspects housing litigation.

Amy completed the Bar Vocational Course in 2005 and Cross Qualified as a Solicitor in 2008. Her expertise is in all aspects of Housing Management including Possession and Injunction Proceedings, Compliance and Disrepair. Her current role comprises of conducting litigation, advocacy, reviewing and policies and procedures.

Amy is passionate about empowering women and helping break down the barriers which prevent women from achieving success.

She is also a mum to two young children and in her spare time loves baking and running.

Jen is a Recruitment Director and has spent the last two decades partnering with Social Housing clients across various disciplines within the sector.

At Andersen James, Jen now leads the Sub-Executive Search and Interim Practice for the Housing team in the North.

Due to her time within the sector, Jen’s knowledge of current trends, legislation and shifts has been recognised by both peers and clients alike as one of the best in the industry.

Jen has a real passion for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion working with clients to ensure everyone is given the same opportunities to move their careers forward.  As well as this, she likes to get involved from a Social Value perspective offering employability services such as CV Writing or Interview Technique Workshops.

Jen became involved with WISH by taking part in events as a speaker, eventually applying for a Board role. She is passionate about supporting women to enhance and move forward their careers and help grow the WISH Network.

Outside of work, Jen is a single mum to a 12-year old son. She enjoys hiking in the lake district and peak district and is an avid wild swimmer taking part in the Great North Swim for the last two years! She is a big music fan and loves to attend live music events.

Liz Sidgwick is a Project Manager, delivering property developments of varying sizes and across multiple sectors in and around the north of England. With a background in architecture Liz has significant experience across a wide-range of public sector projects in the Education, Residential, Commercial sectors.

Liz is a highly-organised and enthusiastic individual, who brings to the table a pragmatic and down-to-earth sensibility, who is using her background in managing various CPD programmes to continue the delivery of the WISH learning event programme.

Liz is also a Primary School governor and enjoys giving back to her local community through this role.

In her spare time, she is an avid reader, paints and runs half-marathons.

With over 20 years of experience in the Social Housing Sector, Claire Bailey-Jones is a dynamic senior leader at Novus Property Solutions, where she drives strategic growth and innovative marketing. A qualified building surveyor with a keen interest in Zero Carbon, Claire has been instrumental in delivering technical solutions that meet client needs while leading Novus’ ‘Sustain’ centre of excellence. Her work focuses on providing practical solutions that help Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) create warmer homes and improve energy efficiency in their housing stock.

Claire is passionate about fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone can bring their ‘whole self to work’ regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, or gender.

She plays an active role on the WISH board and within the WiN (Women in Novus) Network, championing empowerment and inclusion for women and under-represented groups. Having been one of only three female representatives in her degree cohort, Claire is deeply committed to unlocking leadership opportunities for women in the sector. Through WISH, she mentors and supports aspiring female leaders, driving change toward a more inclusive industry.

Outside of her professional commitments, Claire volunteers her time at the ‘Bereavement Café,’ a charity linked to Widowed and Young, offering support to those facing unexpected loss. Trained in ‘grief and loss language,’ she provides CV guidance, interview coaching, and compassionate support to those navigating bereavement.

Away from work, Claire is married with two daughters and is an avid equestrian. Most of her spare time is dedicated to horses, supporting her eldest daughter, who competes at a national level as part of the Lancashire and Cheshire academy teams in Show Jumping, and enjoying the vibrant equestrian community.

Bethan is an Associate Director specialising in recruitment within the social housing and property services sector. With over ten years’ experience working alongside housing associations and local authorities, she supports organisations across the UK to attract and retain the talent needed to deliver safe, sustainable homes and communities.

Through her work, Bethan has developed a strong network across the sector and a deep understanding of the workforce challenges facing housing providers. She is particularly passionate about improving representation within property services and encouraging more women to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated areas such as trades and technical roles.

Bethan holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Leeds, which underpins her interest in leadership, workplace culture and the people dynamics that shape successful organisations.

As a board member of Women in Social Housing (WISH), Bethan is committed to championing inclusive leadership, supporting women’s progression and creating spaces where professionals across the sector can connect, share ideas and collaborate.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her Vizsla, Blue, and making the most of the outdoors!

Louise is an ACA qualified accountant and a qualified chartered tax adviser, and works as a tax director at Grant Thornton; she works with a wide range of housing associations regularly delivering tax advice on their tax compliance obligations, development activities and group re-organisations.

Louise has worked in tax for over 16 years. She graduated from Lancaster University with a first-class Business Studies degree, went on to train at a Big 4 Firm before making the move to Grant Thornton to work with not-for-profit clients, such as social housing clients that are more aligned to her personal values.

Louise attended WISH events for several years prior to becoming a Board member and believes that WISH is a forum for personal growth and for women to help other women succeed in the sector. She wants to help women in the sector to develop new ideas and share best practice through thought provoking workshops and networking opportunities.  

Outside of work, Louise enjoys travelling, trips to the theatre and walks with her family, curling up on the sofa with a good book and when time allows going to the odd Bolton Wanderers match.

Julie is an experienced and impactful relationship manager with over 22 years in social housing and more than 40 years across the wider service industries. She is currently Partnerships Director for a consultancy services organisation, following senior roles including Head of Consultancy and Head of Commercial Partnerships at Tpas, Head of Customer Experience for national contractors, and Head of Contract Mobilisations for major social housing providers.

Throughout her career, Julie has led national teams to success by being both authentic and analytical — always focusing on people, service delivery, and the customer experience. She is recognised for developing creative yet practical solutions that enhance services and improve client and tenant outcomes.

Her career also includes freelance consultancy and experience as a Business Partner within a housing association, giving her a well-rounded perspective of the sector.

 

Passionate about supporting the next generation of women in social housing, Julie is committed to sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm so others can thrive and progress in their careers.

Julia has over 15 years of experience in Project Management specifically in Software and Technology.

Julia leads the operational function of the Resident Experience arm of Plentific, delivering large scale software projects in the Social Housing sector that play a critical role in resident engagement and service levels. With a background in senior Digital & Technology roles, she focuses on providing seamless and automated solutions to enable efficiency within social housing organisations.

She is passionate about ensuring women have a place in sectors where they can typically be overlooked and enabling them to expand their careers through learning and development programmes.

Outside of work, Julia is married with two children and enjoys cooking & baking, listening to music and travelling with her family.

Clare is a Senior Associate at Clarke Willmott LLP, working within the Housing Management team supporting registered providers of social housing litigation, and in particular asset management and disrepair matters.

Clare graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2014 with a Law degree and trained at Weightmans LLP, qualifying as a solicitor in 2018. She has worked within the social housing sector since qualifying and has a breadth of experience in relation to an array of housing management issues. She is passionate about social housing and the importance of maintaining a good relationship between landlords and tenants even where a dispute has arisen.

Clare is also passionate about the role of women in the sector. She is a mother to two young children and knows the importance of women finding their village to support each other in all phases and areas of life, particularly in the workplace. She is excited to be part of the WISH North West Board in order to help women succeed and grow within the social housing sector.

Paula has worked in Local Government, Social Housing, Property and for the NHS for over 25 years delivering on some high level, sensitive pieces of work in marketing and communications.

She was part of the UK’s largest housing stock transfer in 2000 helping tenants to have a say in their future, and how their homes are managed.

She is currently Head of Strategy and Communications for Tpas – England’s leading tenant engagement organisation.

Paula is a true leader, having managed teams for well over a decade. She is passionate about wellbeing both personally and professionally and likes to make a difference to people’s lives.

With her positive attitude, energy and enthusiasm, we are sure she will bring lots of fresh ideas and creativity to support WISH and the women in social housing, both today and in the future.

Emma has over 12 years’ experience in the social housing sector, following an earlier career as a senior manager within national law firms. She is Business Development Director at BTP Architects, working with organisations to deliver high-quality housing and inclusive, sustainable communities.

She has extensive experience across both public and private sectors, with a strong network spanning local authorities, housing associations, contractors and consultants. Her expertise includes stakeholder engagement, strategic communication and relationship-building at regional and national levels.

Emma is a strong advocate for inclusive leadership and believes that diverse perspectives drive better decisions and more resilient organisations. She also brings over 20 years’ experience in marketing and event management, with a focus on creating meaningful connections across the sector.

In her spare time Emma enjoys skiing, travel and hiking, and manages a local walking group.

Lauren Crawford is an Executive Assistant at South Lakes Housing (SLH), with a strong background in customer engagement, governance, and service improvement within the social housing sector. She plays a key role in supporting senior leadership and board-level activity, ensuring effective coordination, clear communication, and strong organisational governance.

Lauren is passionate about resident voice and co-creation, working to ensure services are shaped with, not just for, residents. She has supported a range of engagement initiatives, consultation activity, and organisational improvements, including preparation for accreditation and regulatory inspection.

Lauren joined Women in Social Housing (WISH) to connect with and learn from a network of inspiring professionals, champion equality within the sector, and continue building her leadership journey. She is particularly driven to support and empower women to grow in confidence and progress in their careers, while contributing to a more inclusive housing sector.

Outside of work, Lauren enjoys hiking in the Lake District—taking full advantage of its location on her doorstep—spending time with family and friends and unwinding with a good crime story.