If I Had One WISH

Daniel Hewitt is an award-winning British journalist and Investigations Editor at ITV News. He previously served as a political correspondent and has become known for major investigations into social care, housing, public services, and government policy. His reporting has received significant industry recognition and contributed to public debate and policy scrutiny. He began his career with ITV re...

Lee Chambers is the CEO and founder of Male Allies UK, an organization focused on engaging men in gender equity and inclusive workplace cultures. A business psychologist, speaker, and entrepreneur, he is widely recognized for his work on allyship, positive masculinity, and inclusion. He has received numerous honours, including Freedom of the City of London and UN Women Changemaker of the Year reco...

Ian Wright is the Founder and CEO of the Disruptive Innovators Network (DIN). He has more than 20 years of senior executive experience, including leadership roles in housing-sector performance and innovation organisations. His expertise includes organisational culture, leadership, customer experience, innovation, emerging technologies, and cross-sector collaboration. Through DIN, he helps housing...

James Carss is the Founder and Chief Executive of Castle Peak Group, an executive search and diversity-focused recruitment consultancy. With more than two decades of experience in executive search, he has worked internationally, including senior leadership roles across Greater China. He leads client engagements personally and is known for his focus on diversity, inclusion, leadership recruitment,...

Richard Blakeway has served as Housing Ombudsman for England since September 2019. Prior to this role, he was Deputy Mayor of London for Housing, chaired the Homes for London Board, and served as a non-executive director of Homes England. He is recognized for his work on housing policy, homelessness, tenant rights, and improving standards across the social housing sector. Under his leadership, the...

In this episode, Crystal Hicks interviews Jeff Joseph about social value, gender equity, and community-led regeneration in social housing. They explore how data, empathy, and innovative programs can create meaningful impact for women and communities.

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, host Crystal Hicks speaks with Polly Neate, former chief executive of Shelter, about the complexities of homelessness, particularly as it affects women. They discuss the challenges women face in homelessness, the importance of language in addressing these issues, and the need for a shift in public perception. Polly shares insights on the role of so...

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, Crystal Hicks and Jen Radcliffe engage with Laura Wood, founder of Invisible Creations, to discuss the importance of inclusive design in housing. Laura shares her personal journey and the inspiration behind her work, emphasizing the need for dignity and safety in home adaptations. The conversation explores gender perspectives in housing design, the...

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, host Crystal Hicks engages in a profound conversation with Tracy Downey, CEO of Women's Pioneer Housing. They discuss the historical context and mission of Women's Pioneer Housing, emphasizing the importance of a gendered approach in housing design and policies. Tracy shares insights on the challenges faced by women in the housing sector, the signi...

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, host Crystal Hicks speaks with Hannah Underwood, founder of How Might We and vice chair of the Virgin Money Foundation. They discuss the importance of applying a gendered lens to data in social housing, the need for curiosity in decision-making, and the role of community engagement in understanding tenant satisfaction. Hannah shares her insights on...

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, host Jayne Entwistle interviews Crystal Hicks, the president of WISH, about her career journey in the housing sector, her role as president, and the impactful See Her campaign. Crystal shares insights on balancing work and family life, the importance of community support, and advice for the next generation. She emphasizes the need for the housing s...

Summary In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, Crystal & Helen engage with Tracy Harrison, CEO of the Northern Housing Consortium, discussing the current state and future of housing in the North. They explore the importance of regeneration, the need for a positive workplace culture, and the role of female leadership in driving change. The conversation emphasizes collaboration among...

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, Crystal Hicks and co-host Honey Premial engage in a profound conversation with Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani, who shares her inspiring journey from being a refugee from Iran to becoming a prominent leader in the Church of England. The discussion delves into the pressing housing crisis in the UK, the implications of the Coming Home Report, and the Chu...

In this episode of the 'If I Had One Wish' podcast, Crystal Hicks and Vikki Kirkwood engage with Grania Long, Chief Executive of the Ireland Housing Executive, discussing her journey into social housing, the challenges faced in the sector, and the importance of child protection. Grania shares insights on the current state of homelessness in Northern Ireland, the need for community building, and he...

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, Crystal Hicks and Michelle Donovan engage with Gera, a seasoned professional in the social housing sector. Gera shares her journey into social housing, the challenges faced by women in leadership roles, and the importance of recruitment in finding change agents within the sector. The conversation also touches on the significance of equity, diversit...

In this episode of 'If I Had One Wish', host Crystal Hicks speaks with Viki Fox, a policy and participation manager at Cyrenians and a trustee of Crisis and St. Martin's. Viki shares her personal journey through homelessness, her professional experiences in the sector, and her insights on the current state of homelessness in Scotland. The conversation highlights the importance of lived experience...

In today's episode Crystal is joined by Hannah Locke from our WISH Midlands Board. Crystal and Hannah are in conversation with Lara Oyedele. As an ex-president of CIH and CEO of Black on Board, Lara is an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Lara talks through her journey from being homeless to becoming a powerful voice in the sector. Lara's campaign as President of CIH 'In Her Shoes' was a catal...

Join Crystal and Chair of WISH South West, Sinead Lee in conversation with Tracey McEachran, the first President for WISH. In this episode, Tracey reflects on her time with WISH, the differences she has seen and the opportunities for future growth. Crystal and Sinead delve into the heart of Tracey's 'Hear Her Voice' campaign and the events that triggered it and how this is a problem for everyone....

In this episode Crystal is joined by Sarah Schofield from our North Wales Board. Crystal and Sarah talk with Aileen Evans - as retired CEO of Grand Union, and ex-president of CIH, Aileen talks us through the change from aspirations as an orchestra musician, to a truly influential leader in our sector. Aileen is an advocate for mental health, and her CIH campaign 'Shine A Light' puts a focus on how...

Past-President of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Jill is a force for good in the housing sector. We dig into her 'Be EPIC' campaign in this episode, as well as her work advocating for veterans experiencing homelessness. Jill gives an authentic view of her experiences of the housing sector, how it has changed and where we need to go next.

Current President of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Elly talks to us about her 'Choose Housing' campaign and why housing should be a profession of choice for anyone starting out in their career.

Alison is someone who needs little introduction to anyone working in the housing sector. She has been a force for good, campaigning for change on many fronts, with a dedication to tenants at the heart of all we do. In this episode Lucy and Crystal chat with Alison about her career, the professional and personal challenges she’s faced and what she thinks is ahead of us with a Labour government now...

In this episode Lucy and Crystal chat with Cym about her role as a leader in the sector, especially in championing BME communities and the need for diversity and inclusion in how we design and deliver homes and services. Cym talks to us about how her early career training wasn’t necessarily going to lead her into housing, and the opportunities that were fortunately missed!

Angela joins us on the podcast not long after retiring from being CEO of North Star. We speak to Angela about her time at North Star and why it is important to understand the heritage of the communities we are working in. A real advocate for inclusive, decision making, democratic leadership, Angela speaks to us about how she ensured this in her work, and how others could do the same.

In a time of regulatory change for the housing sector, Fiona is a fitting guest to talk to us about all things careers in housing and the challenges facing the sector. She’ll also speak to us about how to influence change and give an insight into the role of the regulator within the governmental ecosystem. In this episode you’ll hear from Fiona about her journey into housing and why she made some...