In partnership with
North Star Housing
James Walder has had an eventful start to life as the new CEO of North Star Housing. He talks to Peter Barron about his pride in the organisation’s ability to respond in times of crisis.
If James Walder needed reminding of the value of North Star Housing’s role at the grass roots of the communities it serves, it came within days of him taking over as chief executive.
James became CEO of one of the region’s leading housing providers on Thursday, August 1, and on Sunday, August 4, his staff were required to respond swiftly as the wave of organised civil unrest sweeping the country reached Middlesbrough.
Missiles were launched at police, cars overturned and set alight, and properties damaged as a “peaceful demonstration” by hundreds of people turned violent.
North Star prides itself on having experienced staff at the heart of its communities, and the reaction to the violence was an illustration of the organisation’s ability to use those relationships to respond quickly to the needs of its customers.
“It’s the people who make the difference at North Star and, having people on the ground, is absolutely key,” says James.
“It meant we could quickly gauge the scale of what was happening and what we needed to do to reassure our customers and keep them safe.
“I’d seen what was happening on the news and, very quickly, I was receiving messages from staff, so we were able to respond in a positive way.”
The unrest underlined not only the unpredictability of the challenges faced by North Star, but the importance of having employees like long-serving housing officer, Dorothy Hague, who have spent years building up relationships in the local community.
“We have to be in a position where we can respond quickly to whatever comes our way and, although the damage to our properties turned out to be relatively minor, we had customers who were left feeling anxious and vulnerable,” explains James.
“It’s about being able to respond to their individual needs, right down to fitting a bolt to their gate to make them feel more secure.”
James succeeds Angela Lockwood, who joined the organisation as Housing Manager in 1996, when it was Endeavour Housing Association, and became CEO in 2009.
“North Star has such strong foundations and a really positive culture, with brilliant staff, so it’s definitely a case of evolution rather than revolution,” says James, who brings a wealth of experience in the social housing.
“It’s a privilege and exciting to be taking over at a time when North Star is needed more than ever, and there’s a new Government in place making positive noises about investing in affordable homes.”
Born and raised in Gosforth, James is only the fourth CEO in the history of North Star, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, having been established by a group of Teesside church leaders concerned about housing conditions for poorer people in the area.
His father John was a chartered surveyor, his mother, Nicola, taught French, and he has two brothers: Dave played professional rugby for Newcastle Falcons and Wasps, and was capped for England, while Charles is an accountant in corporate finance in Los Angeles.
“It was a very sporty childhood and that made me very competitive,” he recalls. “It instilled a sense of wanting to be the best I could, even though I could never compete with Dave on the sports field, although I can beat him at squash now because his knees are knackered!”
While Dave was always in the first team for rugby and cricket at Ascham House School, in Newcastle, James was in the fifth team. However, he excelled academically, and inherited a sense of fairness and strong work ethic from his parents.
A serious childhood illness also taught James a tough lesson in resilience. At 12, he had a blood disorder that was initially feared to be leukaemia but diagnosed as Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.
“Being in and out of hospital gives you a pragmatic outlook and realisation that you just have to get on with it,” he says.
He then had a period in the construction industry with Kier Group, which included managing North Tyneside’s social housing stock, before he was attracted by North Star’s strong reputation, and joined as Executive Director of Finance and Business Support in 2019.
Within a year, he was managing the major project of collapsing the restructure and refinancing the organisation, while at the same time coping with the grief of losing his father following a stroke.
Five years on from becoming part of North Star and playing a leading role in strengthening its financial base, he’s now looking forward to taking it forward into a new era.
A 47-year-old father-of-two, he’s passionate about being part of the community, both personally and professionally. In his spare time, he’s a trustee of the Humankind charity, which supports complex health and social needs, while he also volunteers as a coach at Benwell Hill Cricket Club and Gosforth Rugby Club.
James’s appointment as CEO at North Star has coincided with the election of a Labour Government, and he’s optimistic about the early signs of the new administration investing in more social housing.
“Hopefully, we will see a coherent approach to meeting the desperate need for more affordable homes and properties for rent, and we want to play our part in delivering that, alongside our partners,” he says.
While the emphasis will always be on people, the new CEO also wants to maximise the benefits of technology. North Star will be working more closely with the universities in the North East and further afield.
A partnership is also being developed with the National Robotarium, in Edinburgh, to explore how robots could be used in North Star properties.
“It’s about striking the right balance between people, culture and technology,” he says. “We want to be brave with innovation to see where it can take us.”
Half a century on from being founded by church leaders with grass roots concerns about housing conditions, North Star remains focused on an exciting future – whatever challenges may come along.
Creating affordable homes where it matters
NOT so long ago, it was the site of a derelict garden centre, but now it is home to residents benefiting from high quality, affordable housing.
The multi-million-pound scheme, comprising 17 two-bedroom bungalows in Tanfield Road, Hartlepool, is one of many examples of how North Star is helping to support local housing needs.
North Star successfully bid for the site after it was put out to tender by Hartlepool Borough Council in 2020 to help meet demand for accessible dwellings that were affordable to local people.
The first foundations were dug in April 2023 and the work was completed in July this year at a total cost of £3,131,000, including a grant of £773,000 from Homes England, the Government’s Housing and Regeneration Agency.
All of the bungalows, including two that have full wheelchair access, have been let for an affordable rent which is lower than market rent.
“Tanfield Road is a great example of where North Star is making a big difference, and it’s the kind of development we need to see the new Government investing in, so that we can help meet the desperate need for more affordable housing,” says James.
Tanfield Road was the second bungalow scheme completed by North Star in Hartlepool this year, following a development of mixed general needs and supported housing in Owton Manor.
And there’s no doubt about the impact such projects have on the lives of local people. Frances Nash was one of the first residents to receive keys to one of the Tanfield Road bungalows and she said: “It has changed my life.”
North Star chair, Anna Urbanowicz, who attended the opening of the Tanfield Road site, added: “This is a prime example of North Star meeting the needs of both the adult social care crisis and affordable housing, and shows what can be achieved.”
With negotiations continuing over further developments in the North East, expect North Star to be announcing new housing schemes soon.
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