Our Senior Management Team is responsible for the day to day running and wellbeing of Sanctuary Supported Living, our staff and residents. The team is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance and for implementing the strategies agreed by Sanctuary’s Executive Board.
From the top of our organisation to the frontline, we are united in working together to support people on their pathway to independence.
Dave Shaw
Operations Director - Supported Living
Dave Shaw became Operations Director – Supported Living in 2023, having previously been Head of Service for the North region, then Head of Growth and Business Development.
With over 20 years’ experience, he has a record of excellence in service delivery across affordable housing, supported living and care services. He specialises in strategic partnership development, successful mergers and acquisitions, and transformational change.
Dave is the nominated individual for our registered services - overseeing operations, quality, financials, tenders and growth, safeguarding and marketing, as well as reporting performance to several Sanctuary committees.
Dave is proudest of the commitment given by both Sanctuary Supported Living’s frontline and back-office teams, and their drive to support customers. He believes that our greatest strengths lie in responding to change and putting people at the heart of what we do. His vision is to maintain our high-quality services and grow, so that we can continue to transform our customers’ lives.
Kelly Miller
Head of Assistive Technology and Programmes
Kelly joined the Group in 2012, originally with the remit to redesign Sanctuary’s technology enabled living services following the acquisition of Cosmopolitan Group. A qualified project manager, she has extensive experience of leading on assistive technology, business change, software development and contact centres.
In her current role as Head of Assistive Technology and Programmes, Kelly is responsible for leading the Sanctuary365 team and ensuring that the service is both sustainable and of a high quality, while offering value for money to its customers. Kelly’s role is both strategic and hands on in equal measure as she ensures projects across the operation are delivered within scope, as well as working with external manufacturers to design and source solutions.
She is most proud of the tangible difference that our services make to people’s lives on a daily basis.
Helen Harding-Bentley
Head of Supported Housing
Helen joined Sanctuary in 2002 as part of the South West Income team, building upon an already diverse career in nursing, Post Office management and motor retail credit control. Since then, she has worked across numerous business streams including income, housing, tenancy enforcement, local operations and supported living.
In her current role, she is responsible for leading the agency managed, Housing Management and Business Support teams as well as being the Sanctuary Supported Living contact for all Housing-related tasks across the operation. Helen’s focus is on a clear, consistent and efficient service from her teams to residents, operations and wider business colleagues to benefit the quality and accessibility of services for all.
She is extremely proud of how her teams have worked together through change, always adapting and seeking out better ways of working.
Rachel Polhill
Head of Quality and Compliance
Rachel Polhill was appointed in 2018, having previously held a number of roles within the Group in Quality, Service Development and Maintenance.
Rachel is Sanctuary Supported Living’s sustainability lead and her key responsibilities in her role include creating the Quality Framework and managing the internal audit function to ensure CQC compliance, as well as reporting to senior management. PRINCE2 qualified to practitioner level, Rachel has extensive experience of working with operational teams to embed best practice for the best possible customer experience.
David Pepper
Head of Service
David has more than 25 years’ experience in supported housing, joining Sanctuary in 2010 through its merger with Carr-Gomm. He has held several posts during his time with the organisation before his appointment as Head of Service (South) in 2018. In his current role he is responsible for the operational and service delivery of Sanctuary’s supported living and retirement living services in the South. The role involves making frequent visits to services to meet with local staff, residents and leaseholders as well as providing strategic direction and leadership for the whole South region.
David has an Honours degree in Psychology and his specialisms include supported housing, housing management, Local Authority commissioning and procurement and domestic abuse.
Jane Knights
Head of Service (East)
Jane Knights began her role as Head of Service (East) in 2019, having previously worked in Sanctuary Supported Living Services initially as a Local Service Manager and then as an Area Service Manager. Jane’s extensive experience working in customer-facing roles sees her placing an emphasis on striving for excellence in customer service and satisfaction. She leads her team in delivering high quality housing-related support in all settings, including CQC-registered services.
Jane is particularly proud of the way that the supported living teams responded and reacted to residents’ needs during the pandemic and beyond. Despite the immense challenge that faced them, they are dedicated to making a difference to people’s lives every day.
Claire Clarke
Head of Service (North)
Claire Clarke’s career in social care spans more than two decades, entering the sector straight from school. As Head of Service (North), she is responsible for the operational and service delivery of Sanctuary’s supported living and retirement living services in the North region, following roles as a local and area service manager and Deputy Head of Service.
She is responsible for ensuring that services in the North achieve excellence in everything they do. Claire’s specialist area is learning disability where she has a lot of experience and she has taken the lead with supporting easy read communications. She is also Sanctuary Supported Living’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion lead and manages our catering and hospitality team.