Helen Tuddenham, Vice Chair of our Board, reflects on her Southdown journey

Posted on 20 February 2025

“I am very proud to be a board member of Southdown and feel privileged to help such a fantastic organisation achieve its purpose.“

My Southdown journey started when I left a full-time job with a large consulting firm in London to start my own executive coaching company. I didn’t time it very well – I left in early February 2020, thinking that Covid was going to stay in China! Although my background is in accounting, I’ve always been interested in helping people develop their leadership skills and grow in confidence. My coaching business allowed me to do that, but I still wanted to use the business side of my brain more, so I looked for a non-executive role to help me do that.

In early 2021, I saw the Southdown board member position being advertised. What initially caught my eye was the location in Lewes, just down the road from me. I hadn’t considered a housing association before, but as I researched Southdown, I could see it was so much more than that. At the time, I was a trustee of a charity that supported a hospital in Uganda but also worked to improve the lives of local people by providing health education, opportunities to learn a trade, and many other forms of support. I saw similarities with Southdown – starting with secure and safe housing but then building on that to give people the additional care and support they need.

Engaging with Southdown’s Work

I was delighted to get the role and enjoyed a very thorough induction, although Covid delayed in-person visits. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to visit four learning disability services, a wellbeing centre, and even shadow a building surveyor! A particular highlight was attending Southdown’s Summer Fiesta, where I connected with clients and employees about what they enjoy about Southdown—and their hopes and fears for Brighton football club this season!

Leading on People, Pay and Culture

About a year into the role, I was asked to become Vice Chair of Southdown and take on the role of chairing the People, Pay and Culture work. We focus on making sure Southdown is a great place to work— supporting staff with fair pay, training, wellbeing, and inclusion. In 2024, I was particularly busy with recruiting new board and leadership team members, ensuring we continue to have the right people in place to guide the organisation.

In my previous company, I attended many board meetings in an advisory role, but being on the other side of the table as a board member has been eye-opening! It requires a much more pragmatic approach —balancing different perspectives to make decisions that best serve the organisation.

To strengthen our decision-making, we introduced employee representatives into board discussions last year. This includes members from Southdown Assembly and the EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) Leadership Group, ensuring that staff voices are heard at the highest level. Working alongside Jo Raisey, Chief Experience and Transformation Officer, I helped onboard these representatives, making sure they felt confident in their roles. It’s been great to hear their perspectives, which help shape decisions in a way that truly reflects the needs of both staff and the people we support.

Reflections on My Journey

Looking back at the last three and a half years, I can see how much I’ve grown in confidence as a board member. No matter what your previous experience, doing something new always involves a bit of a leap into the unknown, and I’m so pleased that I applied. The biggest learning for me has been an appreciation of just how much Southdown does for our communities and how many people rely on its services.

I am very proud to be a board member of Southdown and feel privileged to help such a fantastic organisation achieve its purpose.