Ellen Bennett meets an angler from Eastern Shires and the rest of this week's big fish
Chrissie Hunt
Chrissie Hunt has joined Devon & Cornwall Housing as a play development worker. She will be looking at initiatives to link play and road safety on estates.

Amanda Nicholls
Birmingham-based Ashram Housing Association has appointed Amanda Nicholls assistant director with responsibility for heading up the operational side of services. Nicholls previously worked as an area housing manager for Birmingham City Council.

Mike Riley
North-western housebuilder and development company Rowland has appointed Mike Riley construction director. A plumber by training, Riley was previously construction director with Morris Homes.

Andrew Sheen
Andy Sheen has joined the Peabody Trust as community sports manager. He previously worked for Swale Borough Council as sports development manager.

SIA
Software company SIA has taken on two new members of staff: Victoria Park, marketing executive, and Jane Rogers, accounts manager. Park has a background in marketing at an international level and used to be a financial consultant for an American firm. Rogers is a chartered accountant and has previously worked in consultancy management roles at Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte.

Noble Amoateng
Noble Amoateng has been appointed development manager for Midsummer Housing Association in Milton Keynes. Amoateng previously worked as a senior project manager for Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association in London.

Angela Smart
Angela Smart is to head Maritime Housing Association's latest community scheme 鈥� advising people in central Liverpool on buying their own homes. Smart previously worked for Maritime as an estates manager in Liverpool.

Orbit Housing Group
Paul Tennant, chair of the Housing Associations Charitable Trust, has been appointed chief executive of Orbit Housing Group. Orbit has also promoted Marian Honan to the role of housing support manager, working in its Coventry customer support centre.

Housing Associations Charitable Trust
The Housing Associations Charitable Trust has appointed Andrew van Doorn head of programmes. Van Doorn was formerly a research officer at Homeless Link. Marianne Prentice has taken on the role of office manager. Prentice recently emigrated from New Zealand, where she worked for several voluntary sector organisations.

Bill Masterson
Bill Masterson is Templar Housing's new rural caseworker. He moved from a post in the care and repair department to this newly created position. He will work with vulnerable and disabled people in the rural areas of Macclesfield and Congleton.

Job of the week

Name
David Pickering
New job
Group chief executive, Eastern Shires Housing Association, Leicester
Old job
Head of operations and group development, Orbit Housing Association, Coventry
How did you get there?
鈥淗aving worked for a number of local authority housing departments and registered social landlords over the years, I鈥檝e picked up experience of housing management, resident involvement, finance, development, IT, major change management and strategic planning. I think the variety helps in maintaining an interest.鈥�
What do you enjoy most about your job?
鈥淲e all get satisfaction from a job well done but the most personal satisfaction I get at work is through the interaction with those around me 鈥� being around other people and sharing ideas. I enjoy what I do and couldn鈥檛 imagine moving outside the sector.鈥�
Favourite Film
鈥淢idnight Express.鈥�
Favourite TV programme
鈥淣ow that Birmingham City are a major player in the Premiership, it has to be The Premiership on Saturday night.鈥�
Favourite book
鈥淧icking up the Pieces by Paul Britton.鈥�
Hobbies
鈥淔ishing is how I relax. It sounds boring but I only ever go to one excellent venue 鈥� the Riddings, near Tamworth in Staffordshire, and regularly haul out 50lb-plus of carp.鈥�
What鈥檚 your housing situation?
鈥淚鈥檓 very fortunate. I own my own home in Tamworth and my wife and I have lived there for the past 20 years.鈥�
What did you want to be when you were a child?
鈥淎 footballer, rock guitarist or racing driver 鈥� I never actually fixed on a career and fell into housing by accident. For someone who puts great importance on strategic planning, that鈥檚 quite an admission.鈥�

Source

Housing Today