Our Team
Beki Winter
Co-Chair and
Chair of Development Group
Beki is the Project Manager of a new Church of England Housing Project funded by and part of Archbishops’ Council. The £4.25million project spanning 5 years, will provide support and advocacy along with grant funding and a GIS mapping tool, to dioceses and churches that want to explore opportunities to develop housing for those most in need. Beki comes to this role from the Faith in Affordable Housing Team at Housing Justice where she worked with all church denominations at both a local, regional and national level, promoting and enabling affordable housing development.
Benita lapthorne
Board Member
Benita is secretary of Keswick Community Housing Trust, which is volunteer run and provides homes for local people who cannot afford to buy or rent long-term accommodation at current market prices.
charles hope
Board Member
Charles is vicar of Keswick St John and Borrowdale with Grange. Ordained in 1990, with roles in both inner city and rural areas. As well as parish work, involved in community projects and formerly as a Territorial Army chaplain.
GERALDINE KAY
Board Member
Geraldine is an experienced housing executive, consultant and non-executive director with more than 30 years’ experience in social housing, governance and community regeneration. She has held chief executive, chair and board roles across housing associations and charitable organisations, with particular expertise in governance, regulation and organisational improvement.
She was Chief Executive of Derwentside Homes for over a decade, leading the organisation through growth, major investment in homes and services, and its successful merger into Karbon Homes. Since then, she has undertaken interim chief executive and consultancy roles, supporting organisations through regulatory reviews, governance improvement and strategic change.
Geraldine has strong professional links with Cumbria, having served as Interim Chief Executive of Eden Housing Association and Impact Housing Association. She developed a real affection for Cumbria, its people and communities, alongside a strong understanding of local housing challenges. She is pleased to support Mitre’s distinctive mission, rooted in Christian values, to provide much-needed rural housing at the heart of Cumbria.
GILL BoyD
Executive Director and
Company Secretary
Gill has worked in social housing for over thirty years as a Finance Director and is experienced in matters of finance, treasury, financial planning and governance. Whilst Finance Director Gill saw her role as facilitator ensuring the best use of both current and future resources in helping deliver services to tenants.
Gill retired from full time work in April 2025 when she joined Mitre as their part time Executive Director working closely with the Board advising and supporting them in delivering the Strategic Plan and ensuring all regulatory and legal requirements are met.
Ian Tupling
Board Member and
Senior Independent Director
Ian was previously a Board Member and Vice Chair of Lowther and District Housing Association before joining Eden Housing Association (EHA) Board when the two organisations merged. Ian was a member of EHA’s Audit and Risk Committee, and was involved in the recent recruitment of Chief Executive.
Ian is currently a Volunteer Treasurer for Great Strickland Church and Village Hall, a local sports club, and is a Governor at Ullswater Community College, chairing its Finance, Property and Personnel Committee.
Martin Hawthorne
Board Member
Martin lives near Ambleside and is an independent consultant, founder of Bright Ideas Consulting and Development Limited, offering housing development advice to customers such as Housing Associations and Local authorities. He also undertakes some developments himself.
Having 30-years’ experience within Housing Associations, both in development and management roles, he was an active Board Member and Executive of several large associations in the North East . He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing . He is passionate about creating balanced communities where people from all walks of life can live sustainably. In the context of living in the Lake District this inevitably means Mitre Housing Association providing as many affordable homes as they can sustainably manage.
Martin also offers his skills and time to Leeds Community Housing.
Martin Lawson
Chair
Martin works as a consultant in social impact investment, with a focus on supporting organisations who work with people facing crisis. His experience includes working with supported housing providers, social enterprises and charities to develop and strengthen their capacity, strategy, finances, operations, governance and impact.
He is involved in a range of other organisations as non-exec Trustee or Board Member nationally and internationally, as well as with several local community organisations. With family roots in Cumbria, after living and working overseas for several years, he is pleased to be a part of helping to find solutions to the challenges of affordable housing in Cumbria.
Rebecca Elton
Co-Chair,
Chair of Governance Group
and Complaints Lead
Becky is a freelance consultant, supporting organisations through interim leadership roles and strategy/governance development, with over 20 years’ experience in the voluntary and community sector, the majority of it in homelessness services. Until October 2023, Becky was the Deputy CEO of Changing Lives, leading operational and development work across the charity’s four themes: housing & homelessness; recovery from addiction; women and children; and employment, as well as overseeing TCUK Homes, Changing Lives’ subsidiary Registered Provider.
Having grown up and started her Community Development career in rural Cumbria, Becky brings an understanding of the geography and communities Mitre Housing Association works in, as well as extensive knowledge of homelessness and social housing and the issues affecting wider communities experiencing disadvantage.