All you need is an interest in the sheltered and retirement housing sector, feel you can make a useful contribution, and a willingness to commit to around one day a month. For an informal chat contact current chair Ainsley Forbes or our chief executive Steve Rafferty at
Ainsley Forbes MBE
Chair
Ainsley considers himself fortunate to have had the opportunity to support people as a social worker, and subsequently assistant director of social services for children and families for an inner London Council. He has sat on the board for various associations and committees, several times as the Chair and was awarded an MBE in recognition of his services to social housing across London. He has always had a commitment to promoting equality of opportunity as he believes in maximizing the potential of everyone.
Over the span of Ainsley’s career he has learned a huge amount about the importance of a stable home and the direct impact that it has on improving life chances both economically and socially which is the primary reason that he is so committed to the sector.
As Ainsley comes towards the latter part of his life, he feels it is fitting to apply his knowledge and experience to help improve the standard of living in residential provision for the older generation. He looks forward to this new challenge and to creating opportunities for change and improvement within this sector as a Trustee of erosh.
Emma Quansah
Vice Chair
Emma is Director of Partnerships and Culture at leading business consultancy 4i Solutions, part of Bailey Garner LLP.
She supports contractors and clients on contracts across the UK in the housing sector. Emma has 16 years’ experience in social housing both in housing associations and as an asset maintenance service provider. Her roles have always been customer and people focused and she is passionate about empowering organisations to create health, wealth and resilience.
Emma believes that driving improvement to the standards of housing of older people has a huge part to play in achieving community objectives.
Emily Lewis
Treasurer
Emily has been working in social housing for the last 6 years and is currently Head of Finance at Beacon Cymru Group.
Prior to beginning her career in finance, Emily worked as a domiciliary care assistant within the community which gave her a first hand appreciation of how important supported housing is for the quality of life of our older generations.
Other Trustees
Jenny Crocker
Jenny has worked both in the social housing and homelessness sector for over 20 years in a variety of roles, working in supported accommodation, housing management and currently in Quality and Improvement for the Riverside Group. Jenny has seen how much of a difference quality housing and customer focused support can mean to people, and improve lives.
Jenny’s role is focused on bringing her customers an improvement in service delivery and accommodation. She supports services to work to regulatory and internal standards, while taking on feedback on how they can improve their own processes, so it seems fitting to bring this experience to the erosh trustee position.
Christine Stephens
Christine has worked in social housing for over 38 years, bringing a wealth of experience across key service areas including Income Recovery, Neighbourhood Services, and Lettings. She currently serves as the Sheltered and Supported Housing Manager at Trivallis, a role she has held since 2022.
Since joining the Sheltered team, Christine has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges facing older residents and the complexities of delivering high-quality support in a communal setting. She is passionate about raising awareness of the pressures faced by frontline staff and is committed to future-proofing the service, adapting it to meet the evolving needs, including the rise in complex behaviours among older tenants. Christine’s focus is on building resilience within the team and shaping a service that remains compassionate, responsive, and fit for the future.
Bridie Doherty
Bridie has joined the Trustees in 2026 and further details to follow...
Melissa Prince
I have worked in housing for over 20 years and I am passionate about helping people maintain their independence and live well in their own homes and communities. In my role as an Independent Living Area Manager, I lead teams that support residents to live safely, confidently, and with as much choice and independence as possible.
I care deeply about creating a positive experiences for both residents and colleagues. I enjoy bringing people together, sharing ideas, and finding practical solutions to challenges.
Becoming a Trustee of Erosh is a privilege, and I am looking forward to supporting the organisation's work in promoting excellence, sharing knowledge, and helping services continue to evolve to meet the needs of the people we serve.
