Rapley to step down as Onward CEO

Bronwen Rapley will retire next spring, the housing association has announced.

Rapley joined the organisation in 2016 from the Homes and Communities Agency when it was still known as Symphony Housing Group.

She oversaw the creation of Onward Homes in 2018 as the result of the merging of five housing associations with Symphony. These were Contour Homes, Liverpool Housing Trust, Hyndburn Homes, Peak Valley Housing Association, and Ribble Valley Homes.

Today, Onward is one of the largest developing housing associations in the North West.

During her time at Onward, Rapley has also served as chair of the Homes for the North Alliance and is part of the recently established Imagine, Liverpool’s regeneration forum.

“It has been a huge privilege to lead Onward over the last decade,” Rapley said. “The recent government settlement creates so much opportunity for our sector and so for me this is the right time to step back and hand over to a new leader.

“We now have a real chance to make inroads into the housing crisis by building new homes and continuing to invest in and build up our existing communities. I am so proud of my colleagues at Onward for their commitment and passion to making a difference for the communities we serve.”

The process of appointing Rapley’s successor will begin shortly.

Tim Johnston, chair of Onward, said: “Bronwen spearheaded the creation of Onward into a united organisation that has solid foundations in place to deliver for our customers, communities and colleagues.

“We are now building more than ever before, delivering major improvements in customers’ homes and driving continuous improvement in our services.

He added: “Whilst we know that the sector will continue to face pressures, we are well-equipped to navigate these. On behalf of the Board, I would like to express our gratitude to Bronwen for her leadership and the legacy she leaves for us to build upon.”