About us

Inspiring Housing Community Land Trust (IHCLT) is a not for profit Community Benefit Society with a geographical mandate to act as a Community Land Trust across “Greater Manchester”

IHCLT is a subsidiary of the Charity Inspiring Communities Together (ICT) Home – Inspiring Communities Together

Our delivery principles:

  • Housing Delivery – Development of permanently affordable homes held by and for the community
  • Community Empowerment – Co-designed housing solutions with local people.
  • Strategic Alignment – Support for inclusive neighbourhoods.
  • Sustainability & Innovation – Stewardship models (CLTs, cooperatives) ensuring long-term affordability.
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Who we are

Inspiring Housing grew from a long history of neighbourhood regeneration and community‑led action in Salford. Our roots lie in two local organisations whose shared commitment to community empowerment shaped the foundations of who we are today.

 

Inspiring Communities Together (ICT)
A resident‑led charity established in 2011, following a decade of neighbourhood regeneration work in Salford. ICT continues to work alongside local people to build stronger neighbourhoods, improve wellbeing, and empower communities to shape the places where they live.

Seedley & Langworthy Trust (SALT)

A community‑led development trust founded to support local residents, strengthen community ties, and drive the long‑term regeneration of the Seedley and Langworthy neighbourhoods in Salford.

Together, ICT and SALT shared a belief that communities should have a central role in developing and owning affordable homes. SALT took early steps by purchasing five properties through the Empty Homes Programme, contributing the first homes that would eventually become part of our community‑owned housing portfolio.

Our Formation and Growth

In September 2020 Inspiring Housing Community Land Trust (IHCLT) was established as a Community Benefit Society, with ICT becoming the parent organisation to support and guide its early development.

In 2021, SALT formally merged with ICT as part of a planned transition toward a community‑led housing structure.

In 2022, SALT was fully dissolved, and its homes were transferred to Inspiring Housing CLT. This allowed Inspiring Housing CLT to become the landlord of existing affordable homes, and the developer and long‑term custodian of future community‑owned housing for local people.

Building Independence and Capacity

Between 2022 and 2025, Inspiring Housing CLT strengthened its governance and established an independent board separate from ICT. During this period, we began the process of becoming a Registered Social Landlord.

 

With support from Salix Homes—who initially managed our properties on IHCLT behalf—we continued building our internal capacity to manage our own homes.

In January 2025, IHCLT achieved Registered Provider status, marking a significant milestone in our development.

By later in 2025, we took on our own day‑to‑day housing management and rent collection, with Salix Homes continuing to provide repairs and compliance support as we completed our transition to full operational independence

Today Inspiring Housing CLT is now a confident, community‑rooted organisation dedicated to creating, owning, and sustaining affordable homes that remain a long‑term asset—designed, developed, and stewarded with the community at the heart of every decision.

Inspiring Housing Timeline

Vision & Mission

Whist IHCLT and ICT are governed independently of each other and through different governance models there is a recognition that the values and principles of both are aligned and where possible the services they delivery complement each other.

Our Vision

Providing housing to create a place where everyone feels they belong

Our Mission

Providing and managing housing (including social housing) and providing assistance to help house people and associated facilities, amenities and services

Our Vision

A place where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential and participate in making a positive difference to their neighbourhood.

Our Mission

We will achieve positive outcomes for local people based on the knowledge understanding and information that the community have about their area, through empowering individuals and groups to release their potential to develop their own solutions

Our values

Innovative and solution focused

Always seeking better ways to make a difference

Community Centred

Listening and responding to local priorities

Inclusive

Celebrating diversity and ensuring fair access

Open and Respectful

We will be innovative and provide value for money in our approach to deliver of everything we do

Aims

  • Deliver permanently affordable homes
  • Bridge the housing gap
  • Support people in finding suitable home

Objectives

  • Foster Social Cohesion and Resilient Communities
  • Reduce Reliance on Public Services
  • Promote Sustainability
Bernadette Elder

Executive Director

Bernadette brings over 20 years of proven leadership in community development, regeneration, and strategic planning.

As CEO of Inspiring Communities Together, Bernadette led the organisation’s transformation from a New Deal for Communities successor body into a thriving, community led charity—growing its annual turnover from £90,000 to more than £750,000. She has overseen major regeneration programmes, forged strong partnerships across the city, and championed approaches that put residents at the heart of local decision making.

Bernadette played a key role in establishing Inspiring Housing Community Land Trust and guiding its successful journey to Registered Provider status. Now serving as Executive Director of Inspiring Housing CLT, she leads the organisation’s strategic direction, ensures strong governance, and drives forward our mission to deliver high quality, community owned affordable homes.

With a talent for turning big ideas into practical action—and a track record in risk management, financial planning, and community engagement—Bernadette is committed to creating inclusive, vibrant neighbourhoods where local people can thrive.

Mike Duddy

Chair

Mike has been a Trustee and Chair of InspiringCommunities Together since 2016. He has experience of running a financial services business and takes an active interest in the financial planning for the organisation. He is passionate about working in partnership.

James Kariuki

Director

James is a graduate of Salford University studying habitat restoration where he supported the community to create green spaces within their own housing estate by encouraging them to plant vegetation which would encourage and support the local wildlife. James is a former ICT volunteer and helped develop a programme to raise awareness of the wildlife on the wetland to encourage more people to take an interest in their physical environment and raise awareness of opportunities for employment in the sciences. Through his connections overseas he supports people from a variety of countries to come to Salford to learn about how communities manage their lives in areas of regeneration.

Ruth Potts

Secretary

Ruth works for Salford University providing the link between the University and the wider community. She is a Programme Leader for Work Based Learning at the university and has used her knowledge and experience to support the development of community learning within Salford supporting people on their journey back into work or learning.

Charles Butterwick

Director

Charlie is an architect with 8 years of industry experience including 5 years of running my own practice full time. Architecture Unknown Ltd, specialises in community-led design and construction. Charlie has worked with CLTs and charities in the housing sector as well as developers and private clients and developed a range of housing solutions including new build dwellings and master plans for multi-house schemes not least recently in Bradford for 50 community-led units

Mark Hammond

Director

Mark is a Senior Lecturer at Manchester School of Architecture (MSA). He has a particular interest in housing inequality and recently completed a two year secondment with Greater Manchester Combine Authority, where he worked with the GM Ageing Hub to develop research-engagement policy and strategy around housing, planning and ageing.

Andrew Clark

Director

Andrew is a Professor at the Institute for Life course Development , University of Greenwich. He Has been undertaking research and evaluation projects for over 15 years. He has experience working in partnership with stakeholders and beneficiaries in delivering research and evaluation projects. He has undertaken research and evaluation work worth over £5million in funding for UK Government Departments, Major funding bodies including the Economic and Social Research Council; as well as public sector organisations such as city and county councils, Clinical Commissioning Groups, the social housing sector and local authorities.

Antony Jones

Director

Antony is a Charter Structural Engineer working the construction industry for over twenty years. Working for a national organisation as a senior member of the team in Manchester he has experience of project management, financial management alongside using his technical skills to lead project delivery.

Have an enquiry?

For general enquiries, or to find out who to contact to pay your rent, or report an issue or repair, please visit our contact page.

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