Event Information

As well as being caretaker/site manager at Halton Mil, a low carbon workspace, Chris is a carpenter, author and performer who makes things and makes things happen.  He is a long term member of the editorial collective of Diggers & Dreamers, a board member of the UK Cohousing Network.  and former founder member of Forgebank Cohousing where he now lives.

Tom heads up the Community Land Trust Network and leads on its strategy and its work to mainstream the community ownership of land and affordable housing. This includes public policy and advocacy work, and building relationships with industry bodies for housing associations, developers, landowners, local authorities and community networks.

Prior to joining the Network, he worked for the Greater London Authority in housing and planning policy, and as head of office for the Green Party Group on the London Assembly. He has also worked for a sustainable construction company, and as a consultant for clients such as the All Party Parliamentary Group for Housing and Planning, World Habitat and various local authorities.

Laura specialises in community-led housing and is developing her own cohousing scheme in South Cumbria. She also co-founded a community land trust and, until recently, sat on the board of the UK Cohousing Trust. She advises on legal structures, governance, charity law, contractual and commercial matters.

Peter advises charities, their trading subsidiaries, public bodies, other not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises. His areas of work cover advising charities and social enterprises on:

• Raising social finance, including in relation to share and bond issues and other debt and equity investments.
• Structural transactions such as mergers, reorganisations and joint ventures.
• Operational matters including commercial contracts, data protection, intellectual property, agreements for services, subcontracting and funding arrangements.

Peter is a member of the Charity Law Association. 

Emma advises on all the property aspects of community led housing, from initial options or conditional contracts to bespoke leases for individual groups.  She has spent the last few years working with cohousing groups, some of whom have finished their build and some of whom are just starting on that journey.  Recently, she has been working with a number of community land trusts including work with Yorspace to roll out a model of mutual home ownership that can be replicated.  She acts for cohousing groups, community land trusts and cooperatives.