Felicity Evans Chair - Midsummer Housing Association

Felicity works as a Senior Family Mediator and Professional Practice Consultant for the Milton Keynes Family Mediation Service. She also worked as a volunteer mediator for Milton Keynes Community Mediation.

Felicity holds a Diploma in Education and a Post Graduate Diploma in Policy Studies, moving to Milton Keynes in 1976, having spent three years teaching French and English in the SW Pacific. She continued teaching locally, ending her teaching career as Head of Year in Bedford. Her keen interest in social policy led her to switch careers, training as a family mediator, working in Milton Keynes.

Felicity has served on the Board since 1998 becoming Chairman in 2005 and is also a member of Midsummer Homes HA which she chaired from 1998-2005. In addition, Felicity chairs the Governance Committee and serves on the Remuneration Committee. Felicity became a Guinness Trustee in April 2006 and joined the Northern Counties Board in April 2007 when they joined the Guinness Group.

Sheila Franklin Chair - Midsummer Homes Housing Association

In the 1970’s Sheila spent four years at Milton Keynes Development Corporation where she played an active role in the development and management of new social housing in the City. This has led to a particular interest in the City and its continued growth.

Sheila is Head of Housing for Aylesbury Vale District Council, where her current role includes housing strategy, policy and enabling issues, lettings, homelessness and housing advice. Sheila also works with a wide range of partners on strategic issues. She is a member of the Buckinghamshire Supporting People Commissioning Body, and the Children and Young People Strategic Partnership, for which she leads on the economic wellbeing outcome of Every Child Matters.

Sheila holds a MA (Hons) and is a fellow member by examination of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Having joined Midsummer’s Board in 2001, she is Vice Chairman of Midsummer Housing Association, Chair of Midsummer Homes HA, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and serves on the Governance Committee.

Maggie Sherlock BA (Hons) Midsummer's Chief Executive

After ten years in hospital management, Maggie started her career in housing at Touchstone Housing Association in 1989 where, as Assistant Director of Development, she was responsible for an affordable development programme throughout the Midlands. She gained further development experience at Servite Houses as a Regional Manager from 1996 to 1999 and then joined Midsummer as Development Director in 1999.

At Midsummer, Maggie championed Midsummer’s strategic partnering arrangement, the Atlas Project and established an innovative partnership for response and planned repairs. In 2006, she was appointed as Chief Executive of the Association.

Maggie plays an active role in the National Housing Federation, is currently a member of the East Midlands Regional Executive and a former member of the Housing Task force in the region.

Brian Freshney

Brian took early retirement in 1990 as Senior Assistant Treasurer (Finance Directorate) with the London Borough of Barnet, having responsibility for Internal Audit and, latterly, Housing Benefits. He was also a national adviser on Housing Benefits with the Metropolitan Authorities Association and then became Head of Internal Audit with the Public Health Laboratory Service until 1998. He was Chairman of Regional Committee and member of the Finance and Audit Committees at Circle 33 Housing Association until 2001.

He is a Member of the Institute of Public Finance and Accountants and has been a Member of Midsummer’s Board since May 2003. Brian is also a Member of the Board of Midsummer Homes HA and serves on the Audit and Development Committees.

Lesley Pollock

Joined the Board in November 2003 and also serves on the Board of Midsummer Homes and the Audit Committee and is Chair of the Development Committee.

Lesley is a qualified solicitor admitted in October 1980 with previous wide ranging experience and has practised in Milton Keynes since 1991, apart from two years spent in Birmingham. Lesley is currently a principal at emw law llp in Milton Keynes, where she specialises in commercial property work, with particular emphasis on property investment and development.

Other local offices include being the local Chairman of the national organisation Women in Property and a trustee of the Parks Trust, which is a charitable body whose main purpose is maintenance of the green spaces in Milton Keynes. She holds a BA Honours degree (Languages, Politics and Economics) from Loughborough University.

Dick Panter

Dick is Chairman and Senior Partner of MacIntyre Hudson LLP, Chartered Accountants, based in their Milton Keynes office and therefore a member of the firm’s Executive Board.

He qualified with MacIntyre Hudson, gained experience with a firm in London after qualification and returned to MacIntyre Hudson to take up partnership in 1975. He moved to the Milton Keynes office in 1982.

Dick specialises in business planning and financial management.

He has served on the Board since 1992. He is also a Board Member of Midsummer Homes HA, chairs Midsummer’s Audit Committee and serves on the Remuneration Committee.

Ricky Scipio

Ricky is Chief Executive of Westway Housing Association, based in London. He is also a Trustee of The Guinness Partnership Board, a member of the Guinness Trust Committee, a shareholding member of Guinness Housing Association Ltd and a shareholding member of Wycombe Friendship Housing Association Ltd.

Ricky is currently Chair of the South East Region Board (until 31 March 2008).

Danielle Sheppard

Danielle is a South Northants resident.

She has 10 years’ valuation experience including the valuation of social housing and currently works for Lambert Smith Hampton in Northampton as a chartered surveyor.

Danielle wrote a paper for English Partnerships on the valuation of social housing and has over 12 years’ experience in the property market of mainly commercial but also residential property and land. She also has five years’ experience in the Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire market and a wide knowledge of valuation of residential land and planning issues.

Cllr Chris Williams

Councillor Williams moved from Bedford to Milton Keynes in February 1998 when he purchased his shared ownership home from Midsummer Housing Association.

He is a Political Agent for the Liberal Democrats, which involves being legally responsible for the literature, expenses and administration of an election – including everything that individual candidates say and do!

As well as being the Unitary Councillor for Furzton Ward he is a School Governor for four local schools and is also a local Parish Councillor.

He is an eclectic reader, interested in politics and enjoys the cinema, theatre and the arts as well as dining with friends.

Chris serves on the Development and Governance Committees.