Sidney McFarlane MBE
- Chairman of L&H Homes
- Royal Air Force Career - 30 years from aircraftman to
commissioned officer
- Awarded MBE in 1999 for voluntary service to the community and
for service with the Ministry of Defence
Member Elected
May
2007
Past Public
Appointments
Chairman of the Board of
Independent Monitors for HMP Lincoln
National Chairman of Marriage Care (Relationship education and
Counseling organization)
Chairman and Publicity Officer of Lincolnshire Marriage Care
Centre
Member of National Probation Board (Lincolnshire)
Chairman of Board of Directors for CALL - Advocacy in
Lincolnshire
Chairman of Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council
Chairman of Lincolnshire Crown Prosecution Service Hate Crime
Scrutiny Panel
Member Criminal Justice Board (Community Engagement Group)
Member HR Committee University of Lincoln (Board of Governors)
Currently
Independent
Advisory Group member for Lincolnshire Police
Member East Midlands CPS Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel
Lincolnshire Honours Panel Committee
Lay member University of Lincoln Research Ethics Committee (Law
Faculty)
Sidney’s role within the Group Board is to support and uphold the
aims, values and objectives of the company as well as the views and
interest of L&H Homes, of which he is chair. He has worked
extensively on the boards of both commercial and voluntary
not-for-profit organisations, gaining experience and understanding
of numerous social issues. On top of that he has strong
organisational, strategic and team building qualities that he has
used effectively for the benefit of all organisations he has worked
for, including Longhurst Group and L&H Homes.
His first encounter with L&H Homes came
over 10 years ago when, as a member of the Executive Committee of
the Lincolnshire Race Equality Council, he was consulted to help
with the development of a Race Equality policy for L&H Homes.
Even then, he was very impressed with the Association’s approach to
embracing the spirit of the law, as race equality was not statutory
requirement at that time for social landlords. When he was later
approached to join the Board of Longhurst Homes, he had no
hesitations in getting involved with an organisation he considered
so forward thinking and caring.
His extensive work for the benefit of
communities has been widely recognised by others. In 1999 he
received the MBE award for services to the Community and the MOD.
Then in February 2011 he was honoured with one of the highest
honours that can be awarded a lay person, the Bene Merenti
Medal by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, for his work in
support of marriage and family life for over 20 years. Sidney has
found the voluntary work with families through the Lincolnshire
Marriage Care Centre the most valuable experience in his
career.
Sidney feels that the main challenge in the
future for the housing sector will be sourcing enough funding to
allow Longhurst Group and its member companies to grow, as well as
retain quality staff, maximizing technology and continuing the
value for money services that many customers find invaluable. In
order to help this, he would like to see the restrictions on
Section 106 removed so that affordable housing that includes
optimum design and sustainable features can become more readily
available for those who need it.
As a former Voluntary bandsman playing bass
trombone during RAF service, Sidney enjoys listening to military
bands as well as jazz and soul music, although he enjoys all forms
of music. He has been a member of his local Church choir since
1996, and sings 2nd Bass with the Lincolnshire Orpheus
Male Voice Choir (LOMVC). Each year they do a number of charity
concerts in Lincoln and the surrounding areas. His favourite
holiday destination is the Caribbean, Jamaica in particular.