Habitat for Humanity announces that on 1st January 2012 Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation will become Chairman of the charity’s Board of Directors.
Stewart met with Habitat for Humanity’s Royal Patron HRH the Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO on Wednesday 14th December for an official handover meeting from outgoing Chairman Michael Kirkwood, CMG.
Since joining the charity’s Board of Directors in 2007 Stewart has been an enthusiastic supporter of the work being undertaken both at home and overseas. In that time he has seen the charity grow such that around the globe it is now helping almost 100,000 families each year.
Habitat for Humanity is an international housing charity operating in over eighty countries worldwide which aims to eradicate poverty housing and homelessness. Since its beginnings in 1976 the charity has provided over 2.5 million people with new or repaired homes, secured land tenure or technical assistance, construction enterprise and education.
In the financial year 2010 – 2011 Habitat for Humanity served 81,399 families with home constructions and repairs (including work in some of the world’s most challenging disaster zones); 6,007 families with secured land tenure and provided technical assistance to over 150,000 individuals.
Stewart said, “I am delighted to be taking on the baton from Michael and hope to be able to continue his great work. Habitat for Humanity has a fantastic range of programmes around the world aimed at helping mobilise and support local communities in accessing decent housing. Having been part of the homebuilding industry my whole career I have become highly sensitised to the importance of a safe and stable home. Enabling people in poor quality housing to build themselves out of a cycle of poverty is more than a work of charity; it is an enduring and irreversible transformation. I expect the charity to be the vanguard of community housing at home and overseas in the years to come and I am proud to be playing my part.”
Stewart Baseley is joined by Susan Revell as Deputy Chair of Habitat for Humanity’s Board of Directors. Susan is EMEA Head of Regulatory Reform at Morgan Stanley and joined Habitat for Humanity as a Director in 2007.
For photos, interviews or further information, please contact Eleanor Perkins, Press Officer. T: 01295 220322 F: 01295 264230. Skype: eleanor.perkins3.
E: EPerkins@habitatforhumanity.org.uk. www.HabitatForHumanity.org.uk
Notes to editors
Habitat for Humanity is an international Christian charity that aims to break the cycle of poverty by eliminating poverty housing and homelessness. We believe that everyone, regardless of background, gender or belief, has a right to a safe, decent place to live. We champion that right and also take practical action, working with communities around the world to empower them to design and manage appropriate housing projects in their neighbourhood. Since 1976 we have helped over 2.5 million people.
For more information go to www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the representative body of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s member firms account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk
Stewart Baseley has been on the board of HBF since 2002 and has served as its Executive Chairman since 2005.
After overseeing a strategic review of the organisations entire operation, he has positioned HBF as a highly respected and influential representative body. This has enabled HBF to secure a range of Government stimulus measures for the industry - such as a new build Mortgage Indemnity scheme, HomeBuy Direct, Kickstart and FirstBuy - and ensure relevant policy decisions, particularly with regards to Planning, Regulation and Sustainability, reflect house builders concerns.
In addition to his duties for HBF Stewart is a board member of the NHBC, Banner Homes, H+H in Denmark and Habitat for Humanity UK. He is also a consultant to Highlander Partners (Central Europe) LP; Chairman of Housebuilder Media ltd; co Chairman of the Zero Carbon Taskforce and a patron of the Children with Special Needs charity.
Stewart began his housebuilding career with Crest Nicholson in 1983 before moving to Charles Church, where he became CEO in 1990, a position he held for eight years. During that time he oversaw the sale of Charles Church to Beazer Group in 1996 and subsequently joined the Beazer PLC Board where he had additional responsibility for Beazer Strategic Land. In 1998 he became Chairman and CEO of Centex UK which in 1999 acquired Fairclough Homes. In 2005 he oversaw the sale of Centex UK to Miller Group.