Kingdom Housing Association Chair Linda Leslie has stepped down after completing her five-year tenure.
Having joined the Board in 2015, Linda was appointed as Chair in 2021, overseeing huge momentum at Kingdom. As the largest housing association in Fife, and one of the leading affordable housing providers in Scotland, Kingdom Group has benefited from Linda’s expertise and leadership since she took up the role.
In her time as Chair, Linda has seen the Group grow and move forward with ambitious plans, while adapting to demanding sector challenges. Over the past five years, Kingdom has gone from owning and managing 5,372 homes to over 7,500. Employees have increased from more than 400 to almost 600, and Kingdom Works, the employability project, has helped close to 1,600 people into employment.
At a time when Scotland remains in a declared housing emergency, Linda’s time as Chair has been about providing more than a home, with initiatives and planning firmly focused on people. Since 2021, Kingdom Group has enabled nearly 1,100 homeless households to have a home of their own, with Linda leading the work far beyond bricks and mortar.
Linda joined the Group after a long career in housing that covered management, regulation, as well as policy development and legislation. The breadth of that experience contributed hugely to Kingdom’s forward planning and progress. As an advocate for affordable housing and the role it plays in tackling child poverty, fuel poverty and homelessness, as well as wider social issues, Linda’s own ethos matched Kingdom’s core values and the wraparound care it offers.
Upon stepping down, Linda said: “It has been an enormous privilege to serve at Kingdom. My time here has been fulfilling, rewarding, sometimes challenging, but we have worked together with dedication and the shared goal to make lives better and provide safe, warm and affordable homes across Scotland.
“I have absolutely no doubt that everyone within the Group will keep working hard to deliver ambitious plans, keeping the communities we serve at the heart of every decision.”
Kingdom Group Chief Executive Tom Barclay added: “Linda has chaired the Board with compassion and dedication. We couldn’t have asked for more, and we’ve been incredibly honoured to have her guiding us through the past five years. She has led our work to allow thousands of people not just to live and survive, but to thrive, and her contribution will be felt for years to come.
“We are grateful for her time, her commitment and her wisdom to providing more than a home, and we wish her all the very best as she steps down from the role of Group Chair.”
