Retired Ministers’ Housing Society

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Our Board

Our Board

The Society is managed by a Board that comprises members from across the URC, experienced housing professionals and tenant representatives with the skills and experience to govern and maintain high standards.

Led by the Chief Executive, the day-to-day management of the properties and tenancy management are carried out by a team of professionally qualified property surveyors and specialist housing staff.

John was appointed RMHS Chair on 22 May 2025.

He is Chief Executive of Innisfree Housing Association, an Irish roots landlord of 600 homes  mainly in the North London Boroughs of Brent and Camden, and he previously worked at Hyde Housing Association, following roles in local government housing in the North East of England and Northampton, where he still lives.

John is currently Vice Chair of BME National, the group of BME housing associations around the country, and is also an active member of BME London, a group of 12 landlords actively collaborating to achieve cost efficiencies and extend our offer to tenants, including hosting a BME Tenants Forum.

He is a member of the Irish Government’s Emigrant Services Advisory Committee which provides advice to the Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora on applications from Irish Community Groups for grant support.

Having held a number of roles in Northampton as school governor in two schools, as a trustee in a local community charity, and a Trustee of the local YMCA , he is currently Chair of Safe Haven Northampton (since 2018)– a community group currently supporting Afghan refugees in the town.

David Greatorex

David Greatorex is Vice-Chair of the Board.  He spent his career working in local authority housing service in Derby. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing. Following retirement, he spent a few years as a Board Member at YMCA Derbyshire.

David is a long time member of a local church congregation in Derby, serving as an Elder in a URC / Methodist LEP [Local Ecumenical Project], and recently retired as secretary after some 30 years in role.

Currently, David is Treasurer at URC East Midlands Synod (EMS), a member of EMS Trust and the URC Trust.

David also served from 1985 with the National Brass Band Association in The Boys’ Brigade, including several years as President until the association was closed at the end of 2024.

The Revd Nicola Furley-Smith has served as a URC minister for 33 years at Peasley Cross and Haresfinch URCs, St. Helen’s, Stainbeck URC, Leeds, Oxted URC, Wallington URC and as Moderator of Southern Synod. Nicola is a director of RMHS in her capacity as URC Secretary for Ministries advising on ministry issues.

Clifford Patten is a lay member of the Board. He is an architect based in the URC Eastern Synod, working with churches and serving on Synod and URC property-related committees.

The Revd Paul Whittle is a URC minister. He has served in Beith, North Ayrshire in Scotland, Islington in London, the Republic of Panama, Birmingham and as Moderator of the Eastern and Scottish Synods.

Paul is the Convenor of the RMHS Sub-Committee of the Ministries Committee.

He is now retired, and lives in Norfolk.

Michael JagessarMichael Jagessar is a retired minister of the United Reformed Church (URC) who has served the URC in various roles (West Midlands Synod Training Officer and Tutor at Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical theological Education, Secretary for Racial Justice and Multicultural Ministry, Secretary for Global and Intercultural Ministries, Moderator of General Assembly 2012-2014), and latterly as a Mission Secretary with the Council for World Mission (CWM). Michael’s work and ministry began in the Caribbean and included leadership roles in pastoral ministry, theological education, human rights monitoring, and community development.

Alan is an engineer by training and a management consultant by profession. He has a first-class honours degree in Electronics Engineering from University College, London and a Fellowship in Manufacturing Management from Cranfield.

He was born in Tyne & Wear but has lived in or around London ever since leaving college. Until 2015 he was an Associate Partner with IBM specialising in Supply Chain and Logistics, with experience across most sectors, including the finance and charity sectors. His basic discipline is Supply Chain, with specific expertise in strategy development, process transformation and operating model design. Alan is an Elder and lay preacher in the United Reformed Church and was Moderator of the General Assembly from 2016 to 2018. Additionally, he is the honorary Treasurer of the URC.

The Revd Dr Carla A. Grosch-Miller is a practical theologian and ordained minister who has served churches in the United Church of Christ (US) and England (URC). She continues to write and lecture in her specialist areas, and lives in Northumberland with her husband David, another retired minister. She is a tenant representative on the Board.

Victoria has a legal background having worked as a solicitor in private practise for a decade. During that time, her prime focus was family law, specialising in domestic abuse and children cases, but she also has experience of property and trust work, employment and litigation. Victoria is now a non-practising solicitor, having moved to work within the charity sector in 2014. In that time, Victoria worked as Stewardship Adviser (developing the discipleship of giving as well as practical ways to support Christian giving) and Diocesan Secretary/CEO for a Church of England Diocese. Victoria worships in a Church of England church on the south coast and serves on its Parochial Church Council.

Geoff Felton currently serves as Moderator of Mersey Synod of the URC.
He was ordained in 2000 and has served in pastorates in Canterbury and Colchester.
Geoff has served as a trustee of various charities in the past and says he loves making things happen.
A lifelong Tranmere Rovers supporter Geoff is used to supporting the underdog and says this goes beyond his sporting hopes.
Married with three boys, Geoff sees the world as a place of adventure and creativity.

Gary has a construction background and has spent 30 years working within the Housing Sector. He has extensive experience in delivering customer focussed property related services to Local Authorities and Housing Associations including asset management, contracting, compliance, and investment and responsive repairs services. He has held Director, Managing Director and Executive Director roles for Catalyst Housing Group, Aldwyck Housing Group and Hanover Housing Group.

Gary lives in Hertfordshire and now provides property related interim management services to Housing Sector Clients.

Richard has a background in transformational leadership across the private, public, and non-profit sector both here in the UK and in Canada and Australia. During that time Richard has worked for housing providers Southwark Council, Moat Housing and East Thames Housing. He has also been Group Head for two global market research firms. He has been a trustee of Foundation-66, a drug and alcohol misuse charity and registered social landlord for twelve years.

For five years until 2025, Richard was Chief Operating Officer/Chapter Clerk at Portsmouth Cathedral where his work focused on increasing operational efficiency and income streams as well as diversifying audiences, all to support mission.

Richard worships in a Church of England parish in central London and has in the past been a Church Warden and a Foundation Governor of the local primary school.

Where to find us

Chapel

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