Yvonne Hutchinson

picture of Yvonne Hutchinson

Yvonne Hutchinson is the founder and Managing Director of community development consultancy, Community Chameleon. She has worked in an advisory capacity with a range of government departments and leading research bodies and was a board member of the government regulator, The Housing Corporation, from 1998 - September 2005. She was a member of the Social Exclusion Unit's Policy Action Team on Neighbourhood Management and is a member of the Independent Birmingham Housing Commission. A former housing association tenant she established the Ripleyville Tenants Association in 1994, spearheading a £2.5m local regeneration programme. Yvonne served as Deputy-chair of the £50m New Deal for Communities pathfinder in Bradford while establishing and chairing an award-winning drug awareness charity which successfully campaigned for and secured legislative changes in 1999. The charity continues to impact the lives of thousands of young people across the north of England. Until December 2003 she was the UK & Ireland Regional Manager with one of Britain's largest NGOs and is currently a trustee of the Church Urban Fund.

Stand Up And Be Counted

Standing as a first time, independent candidate in the recent local elections was an experience not to be missed. And my filing of expenses has reminded me that I really ought to put some tips in print for any future would-be local election candidates.
If you’ve never stood as an independent in a local […]

June 6th, 2008 by Yvonne Hutchinson

Free Spirit!

Being a local councillor was the last thing on my mind when I decided to leave the ‘Big Smog’ and head back up north to the green, green grass of home. I had just one thing in mind then. My plan was to set up and develop my consultancy working from an office in […]

February 7th, 2008 by Yvonne Hutchinson

Back to the Future with a Splash!

Mention Bradford’s Manningham district and the first thing that comes to most people’s mind is the 2001 riots, social deprivation and lack of community cohesion.
That’s why the decision by Tom Bloxham’s Urban Splash development company to press ahead with the regeneration of Manningham’s Lister Mills is as daring as it is remarkable. And my […]

January 21st, 2008 by Yvonne Hutchinson

Off-Site Innovation

While the rest of the country was deluged with rain the sun smiled down on the 4000 plus delegates attending the Off Site 2007 conference at the Watford based Building Research Establishment (BRE) on 11 - 14 June.
Four innovative, near zero-carbon houses, including the first home to achieve a Level 6 rating under […]

June 27th, 2007 by Yvonne Hutchinson

Nothing New Under the Caribbean Sun

I guess that was summer then! Well I suppose we can’t complain after a month of uninterrupted sunshine. In fact, the last time I remember being so hot, hot, hot was two years ago on a family house hunting trip to the sun drenched island of Jamaica.
New housing developments were […]

August 3rd, 2006 by Yvonne Hutchinson

Duel Identity

The search for identity has never been more intense in the UK than in recent years. In England this quest has reached fever pitch with the World Cup providing a timely, if temporary, opportunity to galvanise a nation around a leather ball and the St George’s Cross.
During the last World Cup Bradford Council, and others, […]

June 8th, 2006 by Yvonne Hutchinson

‘Join us for a game of democracy’

Yippee, it’s spring! Days are longer and sunnier with daffodils brightening up gardens and cheering up public spaces.
New lambs are popping up like little balls of cotton across the picturesque Yorkshire landscape.
And on May 4th we’ll be flocking to the polling stations to choose our local councillor and show the less developed world how democracy […]

April 19th, 2006 by Yvonne Hutchinson

Taking Liberties

The Nazi regime which began with the language of intolerance and ended in genocide is, one could argue, reason enough for curbing freedom of speech.   And both the Islamic fundamentalist cleric, Abu Hamza, and leader of the racist BNP, Nick Griffin have found themselves in the dock accused of abusing this freedom.   But there is […]

February 1st, 2006 by Yvonne Hutchinson

Tenant betrayal

Was Sir Christopher Meyer right or wrong to kiss and tell?  Should Lord Rogers challenge Government with his own Urban Renaissance report? Make up your own mind. 
But what I can fully understand is the frustration of being appointed to advise and then having that advice ignored.  It’s a frustration shared by many public appointees […]

November 28th, 2005 by Yvonne Hutchinson

The lady’s not for turning Tory

The Labour Party conference was drawing to a close. Gordon’s leadership speech already filed away under ‘premature declarations’.
The evening news had turned its attentions to the fast approaching Conservative Party conference. I felt a cup of tea coming on. A reporter mentioned someone called Cameron. Hadn’t heard of him. Reaching for the […]

October 31st, 2005 by Yvonne Hutchinson