Dementia and Housing Working Group Members

What our members say

The best things about being a member of DHWG?

  • Full of passionate people who want to make a difference
  • Learning and sharing is something I value. It puts us ahead in the field of dementia related knowledge
  • Being connected to individuals who share the same goals and can debate pertinent issues. Having a collegiate, friendly group who are happy to share information and experiences
  • Being a member allows me to network and engage with others who are in the same position and face the same challenges. This group acts in the best interests of people affected by dementia and that is amazing
  • Information sharing and peer-to-peer support
  • Access to latest research and thought-leadership
  • Interacting with other organisations and making networks whilst learning from these organisations as it has helped to inform practice within my organisation

Our members

  • Vanessa Pritchard-Wilkes (Chair) Housing 21
  • Aimee Stimpson, PHE
  • Alexandra Williams, nrla
  • Ali Rogan, Hornsey Consulting
  • Amy Lawson, Clarion
  • Andrew Gilliver, LGBT Foundation
  • Andrew White, Irwellvalley Housing
  • Ashley Campbell, CIH
  • Candy Worf, Housing LIN dementia lead
  • Claire Days, LGBT Foundation
  • Daithi Cee, person living with dementia
  • Ellison Nicky, Anchor
  • Gareth Lyon, ARCO
  • Helen Brock, PHE
  • Helen Wiggins, DHSC
  • Howard Gordon, person living with dementia
  • Jeremy Porteus, Housing LIN
  • Jackie Rigby, HCA
  • Julie Barrett, HDRC
  • Karen Anderson, Homes England
  • Kathleen Morris Anchor
  • Kevin Nichol, Gentoo Group
  • Kirstie Kalonji, Alzheimers
  • Louise Lee, Platform Housing
  • Michael Spellman, Extracare Charitable Trust
  • Pamela Sinnott, Notting Hill Genesis
  • Rachel Coyle, PHE
  • Rachel Toms, PHE
  • Ruth Ely Life Story Network
  • Sarah Davis, CIH
  • Teresa Atkinson, Association of Dementia Studies, University of Worcester
  • Tim Thomas, nrla
  • Victoria Lyons, Dementia UK
  • Wendy Trew, Tunstall
  • Wendy Wells, Guinness
  • Yvonne Castle, Johnnie Johnson Housing

DHWG members

Housing 21 Logo

Housing 21 (Chair)

Housing 21 is a leading, not for profit provider of Extra Care and Retirement Living for older people of modest means. We operate in 240 local authority areas, managing over 22,800 properties and providing over 38,000 hours of social care each week.

Operating throughout England, we have over 14,000 Retirement Living properties in more than 350 locations across England. Housing 21 is the largest provider of Extra Care in England with over 6,000 properties, around 10% of all Extra Care provision.

The Association For Dementia Studies

The Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester

The Association for Dementia Studies was established at the University of Worcester in 2009 by Professor Dawn Brooker. Led by a multi-disciplinary team, our cutting-edge research, education and consultancy supports professionals to excel in providing person-centred care to people affected by dementia. The fully online Postgraduate Certificate in Person-Centred Dementia Studies reaches students from across the globe, whilst our research findings continue to underpin practice and influence local and national policy. Key workstreams focus on creating enabling environments, supporting Meeting Centres, exploring optimal housing options for older people, creating connected communities, and promoting physical activity for people affected by dementia.

Clarion Housing logo 250 pxs 2023

Clarion Housing

Clarion Housing is the UK’s largest housing association, owning and managing 125,000 homes: 350,000 people call a Clarion home their home – from young families to retired people or those struggling in the housing market.

Clarion is committed to providing good, affordable homes for those that need it the most and a great service to all residents. Clarion Housing is part of Clarion Housing Group, which is made up of both commercial and not-for-profit subsidiaries. The group undertakes a range of commercial activities in order to invest in their core social mission to provide homes for those who need them most.

gentoo logo 250pxs

Gentoo Group

Gentoo Group is a housing association that provides more than 60,000 people in Sunderland with a place they can call home.

It believes everyone has the right to live in a good quality home they can afford and invest millions every year to keep homes safe, secure and compliant. As well as building hundreds of modern homes for rent. Homes that meet the needs of local people.

Gentoo has 6 sheltered and 2 extra care schemes which are a vital lifeline for hundreds of people across Sunderland.

It supports tenants, residents and communities by investing in services that help people live their best possible life.

Guinness Partnership Logo 250pxs

The Guinness Partnership

The Guinness Partnership was founded over 130 years ago and is one of the largest affordable housing and care providers in England. We are committed to improving people’s lives by providing as many high-quality affordable homes as possible, and the housing and care services that customers most need. Guinness has more than 140,000 customers across the country, living in more than 65,000 homes.

More than 1,000 of our customers are living with dementia, so we made a pledge to become a Dementia-Friendly organisation by significantly improving our processes and knowledge, and ensuring our homes and services meet the needs of these customers. We believe in sharing best practice and knowledge, and we work closely with agencies that support people living with dementia, placing ourselves at the forefront of dementia planning within the housing sector.

Housing LIN logo

Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN)

The Housing LINN is the leading 'knowledge hub' for a growing network of housing, health and social care professionals in England involved in planning, commissioning, designing, funding, building and managing housing with care for older people.

Led by Jeremy Porteus, the Housing LIN was formerly responsible for managing the Department of Health's (DH) Extra Care Housing capital programme. Candy Worf is dementia lead. Our key aims with regard to housing and dementia are to:

  • raise awareness and understanding of dementia amongst housing professionals so that they can support people with dementia and their families to live well in their own homes and communities, and ensure their physical environment is as dementia-friendly as possible;
  • raise awareness and understanding amongst the wider health and social care community of the key role of housing in supporting people living with dementia; that includes both the home environment and enabling housing staff to contribute as part of an integrated workforce.
Irwell Valley Homes logo 250pxs

Irwell Valley Homes

Irwell Valley Homes is a not-for-profit housing association providing affordable homes and services to more than 20,000 people across Greater Manchester. We have a strong social purpose and make it our mission to enable people to live well in their home and community. We do this by providing safe, good quality homes and services, making a difference in the communities we serve, providing more affordable homes, and supporting colleagues to enjoy work, learn and grow.

Some people need a little extra support to live well, so we provide homes with specialist support, including for people with dementia and memory loss, at our Shore Green service in south Manchester.

Johnnie Johnson Housing

Johnnie Johnson Housing is a not-for-profit housing association dedicated to offering quality and affordable homes in the North of England. We currently have a portfolio of almost 5,000 homes, which are used by our 7,000+ customers across the North West, North East, Yorkshire and Derbyshire.  We provide safe, secure, and affordable homes that our customers are proud of and accommodate many diverse residents with various options of tenancy types.

Helping residents to 'live longer and live better', we provide the necessary support that enables them to remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. As well as providing on-site support through our network of community housing officers, our Astraline business provides specialist telecare and telehealth services, together with a 24-hour call response service available to support our residents with independent living.

Platform Housing Group logo

Platform Housing Group

We are one of the largest housing associations in the Midlands owning, managing over 47,000 homes across the Midlands from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South. We have a portfolio that includes social and affordable rent and shared ownership houses. In our specialist housing schemes, our residents enjoy retirement living with support and dementia focussed support.

The Group has G1 governance and V1 financial viability ratings from the Regulator of Social Housing and a Standard and Poor’s A+ rating. 

Contact us

Our members are passionate about keeping the housing and dementia conversation alive. We are keen to link with other networks and government departments. We welcome new members. Get in touch with us today.