Our board members
Cathy Ryan
Chair - HNCLT
I am thrilled to be part of this community–led project in Hook Norton of I2 affordable homes that will have a positive impact on the environment and look good too. I think that everyone has the right to a well-designed home that they can afford to live in and be proud of and I definitely believe that good housing can transform the lives of its residents and lead to increased community spirit.
I am the Community Engagement Manager at the Low Carbon Hub and work with over 30 of their Low Carbon community groups across Oxfordshire. Prior to that I was a theatre designer, working on diverse projects from community operas with inner city primary school children to designing forum theatre productions with groups of people experiencing homelessness in London.
Tim Lunel
Having moved to the Hook Norton back in February 1994 I am reliably informed by some of the families who have been in the village for generations that I am making a good start to becoming a "local". In that time I have seen the house prices in the village change from those where it was realistic for people who lived and worked in and around Hooky to be able to buy their home or to pay properly affordable rents in line with local salaries. In the last few years we seem to have got our priorities out of kilter, and people working at the primary school, the brewery and the many trades needed by the village can no longer afford to buy or rent a home in the community. I wanted to help form HNCLT to build these 12 affordable homes which will ensure that they meet the local needs of the community in perpetuity. My MBA from London Business School will, I hope, have equipped me properly for my role as Treasurer. Given that we are in a Climate Emergency it is vital that these homes are built to PassivHaus standards so that any new homes added to our village do not add to our ever escalating carbon emissions. You couldn't look at yourself in the mirror and do anything else, could you ...
Andrew Bowen
We moved to Hook Norton in 1980 when I took over as head teacher of the local primary school, which was housed in the old prefabricated rural secondary school building. Over the next few years I was heavily involved in ensuring that the replacement school building was built to serve the whole community. During this time I became aware of how important it was to ensure that the village had affordable houses to prevent further loss of indigenous village families. I joined HNCLT to support this aim.
Fiona Brown
I first became involved in the Hook Norton CLT project whilst I was at Cherwell District Council and instigated the work to transfer the land across to the community. I was very excited to see the first community- led project in the District become a reality.
I have more than 35 years experience in the development and management of affordable housing working within Housing Associations and Local Authorities.
I now work as the Communities Lead at Collaborative Housing providing front line support to community- led housing groups across the Thames Valley. I am also an accredited CLH Advisor through the Institute of Housing and live in nearby Chipping Norton.
I believe that the housing and community facilities being planned will provide a real asset to the whole community of Hook Norton as well as to the people who will eventually be able to move into beautiful, sustainable and affordable homes.
Charlie Luxton
I've been passionately involved in the HNCLT project for over 3 years, taking part in the community engagement and consultation sessions which have defined the ambitions and values of the project and shaped the masterplan and appearance.
The result of all the consultation is a project with deep support in the community and one better for the input from the people who will live in and around the homes. I believe that true sustainability means creating buildings that are loved, and that only places that are valued in this way will last. I've worked with HNCLT on the design of the 12 Passivhaus community led-homes and communal facilities at Bourne Green, and look forward to helping the project through the construction phase and beyond.
Annabel Shawcross
I moved to Hook Norton 5 years ago but lived just outside the village for 16 years before that. My 3 children went to both the Playgroup and the Primary School and I am an active member of many village groups. I run my own online gift business but previous to moving to Oxfordshire, I was New Media Communications Manager at the NSPCC, specialising in Young People facing communications, so I have first-hand knowledge of the issues facing young people trying to find their way in the world, housing being a prime concern.
Max Fontana-Reval
I moved to the area 2 years ago, so am a long way from being considered local. I have a background as a business executive, across sectors including design, manufacturing, e-commerce, IT, investment and blockchain. I have noticed that Hook Norton is a leading light in the area in providing community projects and services to locals. I am doing what I can to encourage this. I was keen to join the HNCLT board to aid these local projects, alongside learning more about the community.
Richard Brown
I have lived in Oxfordshire for most of my life, and my family and I moved to Hook Norton in 2021. I was married in Hook Norton and my youngest child attends the village nursery. We feel very fortunate to be able to live in a beautiful place with such a friendly community.
I have a background in the operational management of complex, public-facing buildings and I have worked for a variety of outsourcing companies. I currently manage the facility operations for a prominent University. I joined the HNCLT board in 2023 as I wanted to use my experiences to support local initiatives. I also view joining the board as a way to be more involved in the village and assist in the running of long-lasting community-led facilities.
Our co-opted board member
Anne Tutt
I’ve lived in Hooky for more than 20 years. I’m passionate about supporting the community and ensuring the village has sustainable affordable housing for the future. We live in an amazing community and we should do everything we can to preserve it. I hope my financial and governance skills can make a real difference to HNCLT for this exciting programme in the village. I'm a qualified Chartered - Accountant with more than 30 years experience of board membership as both an executive & non-executive director. My current roles include being Vice Chair of Oxford University Hospitals which runs the John Radcliffe, the Churchill, the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre & the Horton in Banbury. I'm also a member of Council at Swansea University and a trustee / advisor to 2 charities involved in international development.
Would you like to join the HNCLT Board?
Now that most of the technical and legal elements of the project have been completed, we are looking for new Board members to help with the next exciting chapter of this new vibrant asset to Hook Norton. It’s an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in living in one of the homes to have a say in what happens to the open spaces and communal building among other things. Various skills are needed, and if anyone is interested in taking up the challenge, please fill in the Online Application Form, or speak to one of the Board members.
Our administrator
Diana Barber
Administrator - HNCLT
I was asked to take on the general admin duties of HNCLT after working very happily in that role with Hook Norton Low Carbon since 2014. I have been delighted to have been involved with the Community Housing feasibility study as well as the development phase of the first HNCLT project and look forward to seeing this exciting ambitious scheme come to fruition.