Arguably more than ever, it’s vital that housing providers are heard by decision makers. The government’s proactive approach—particularly from new Secretary of State, Steve Reed—has been welcomed across the sector. However, national influence must never come at the expense of local relationships.

At PfP, we’ve always focused on being a national organisation with deep local roots. Sixty years ago, John Foulerton and three friends in Preston founded North British Housing Association to be “a force for good in the housing sector.” That organisation evolved into PfP, growing through strategic mergers with local providers- from Castle Rock Edinvar in Edinburgh to, more recently, Origin in Hertfordshire and London’s Somers Town, and soon South Yorkshire Housing Association and Bristol-based Elim. Throughout this journey, we’ve always maintained local connections while expanding national reach.

National engagement is essential - we rely on government budgets and policy - but some of our most meaningful work happens locally. Issues like sustainability, social impact, and health and safety directly affect Customers’ lives. That’s why strong relationships with local stakeholders are critical.

To ensure we continue to strike the right balance, we launched our Market President programme, a regional stakeholder engagement model where senior colleagues represent Places for People in their local areas. Market Presidents engage with stakeholders on both national and regional priorities aligned with our strategic aims. What sets this apart is the involvement of operational colleagues in work traditionally led by public affairs teams. Market Presidents bring diverse expertise, representing both their operational domain and local community. This fosters organisational learning and personal development, enhancing their own ‘personal brand.’

Beyond senior leaders, development opportunities extend to all staff through our “Because Community Matters” Ambassador network. Supporting Market Presidents, these Ambassadors provide local insight and subject expertise, enriching the programme while gaining professional growth. Together, they ensure we remain connected at every level.

Preston and the Ribble Valley have always been central to our story, and in September, we had the pleasure of reopening our Preston office, named in honour of former CEO Eric Armitage. Eric is a trailblazer who built PfP into the UK’s largest social landlord. At 92, he remains an inspiration, reminding us to innovate and strive for growth, and is an example of why strong stakeholder relationships matter.

The Market President programme localises engagement, strengthens hyper-local relationships, and opens doors to new opportunities. It reflects our commitment to being a national organisation with local impact- just as our founders envisioned.

I’m excited to share insights on this programme at the National Housing Federation’s Comms and Influencing in Housing Conference this January, in the session ‘Influencing and partnering with local stakeholders'. Which is all about strengthening collaboration and communication with key local partners to deliver better outcomes for residents.

This session is designed for professionals who want to enhance stakeholder engagement strategies, improve cross-sector collaboration, and learn practical approaches to influence decision-making at the local level.

Join me, Tosin Adedayo, Metropolitan Police and Sarauniya Shehu, Southwark Council. I look forward to connecting with delegates and exploring its impact together.