Julian Mogford recently retired from his role of Chair of the East Regional Scrutiny Committee.
Julian served a long time as an involved resident and enjoyed helping get many recommendations for service improvements agreed by Clarion Housing Board.
Julian became an involved resident around 20 years ago when he moved to Norwich. He moved into a sheltered housing scheme (now LiveSmart) and has been involved in many of the changes during this time.
Julian was a member of the Sheltered Housing Advisory Panel (SHAP), where a group of residents from different sheltered schemes across Norfolk, discussed issues and topics relevant to them.
Following an outstanding performance delivering a presentation, he was then encouraged to become a resident Board member on Wherry Housing Board.
He enjoyed working with governance, and assessing the Housing Association's financial and business plans.
Being involved in many different activities; from surveys and focus groups to service improvement groups, and then onto the Scrutiny Committee, Julian quotes that it has broadened his horizons and given him insight into things he wouldn't have known about.
As well as being an involved resident at Clarion, Julian is a treasurer for his local church committee, and volunteers at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, assisting them with training for new staff by acting as a patient, and helping test new technology and making videos.
Julian's career, begun in the Australian Air Force, after immigrating to Melbourne with his family in the 1950s. When he returned to the UK, he worked as a fireman, as well as in sales, and as a warden for Luton Borough Council managing a scheme of over 150 flats.
At the age of 61 Julian and his son signed up for scuba diving and became a national, qualified instructor.
Julian loves to travel and visiting his son in the UAE, and is currently looking forward to a trip to Egypt with his grandson.
During his time helping to make a difference at Clarion, he quotes:
“I enjoyed it all, there was nothing I didn't enjoy, and whatever I was doing, I did it to the best of my ability”.
Julian encourages other residents to get involved;
“Do it, you've got nothing to lose, you will make a difference to the organisation and therefore the residents, you're in it for the residents and you're doing a lot of good.”
