History
Explore our history timeline below, where you can revisit the moments that shaped our identity into who we are today. For over 50 amazing years, we've been on a mission to make sure key Christian workers have a place they can call home, in the heart of their ministry.
1965
Roger and Ruth Dowley chose to live in East London, an area that was being rapidly depopulated and left behind after the 2nd World War. They encouraged other Christians to move to the area as a way of ‘bringing good news to the poor’, facilitating authentic incarnational living and gospel witness and building up the work of mission in East End churches, by helping people with housing. This led to them setting up Tower Hamlet Homes Ltd (THH).
1971
Roger joined Rev. Ted Robert at Bethnal Green, with funds from the Greater London Council, to redevelop St Marks Victoria Park, and renamed THH Victoria Park Homes (1965 Ltd) (VPH65) later being one of the early members of the then Housing Corporation.
1975
Adrian Greenwood started at Victoria Park Housing Association (VPHA) as the first staff member and became the secretary of VPH65.
In due course, Anne Cartwright joined the staff at VPHA. Today, VPHA is part of the Gateway Association which in 2023 still operated in Tower Hamlets.
1988
In 1988, John and Dorothy Davies were concerned that even on a doctor's salary they could not afford to live in London, and felt called to help meet the needs of key workers, to London churches being able to live and minister in the areas they were called to work, so, Amersham Housing Association Limited (AHAL) was created, named after a road in New Cross, South East London.
1991
In 1991 John and Dorothy set up Amersham Christian Housing Association Limited (ACHAL), enabling the purchase of properties for rental.
John and Dorothy spoke with Adrian about their vision for ACHAL.
1994
AHAL closed in September 1994 and merged with ACHAL.
1999
With ACHAL growing, provision was made by the Chairman for a small office in Mottingham. Judi Feasey joined the team in August, as a part-time Administrator, (now Operations Manager and Company Secretary) as its first employee.
2003
ACHAL celebrated 15 years, at All Souls Langham Place, with Rev. Dr. Steve Latham as the Keynote Speaker.
2005
In 2005, a booklet was produced of the ACHAL Annual Review.
2008
At the end of 2007, Dorothy Davies wrote about the last 20 years of ACHAL, ready for its celebration. You can read it here. This was celebrated at Eltham Park Baptist Church in May 2008.
2009
ACHAL changed its name to Affordable Christian Housing (ACH) in 2009. This is also the year that Sarah Graham joined the team, in November, as the part-time administrative assistant (now the Finance Administrator).
2010
Adrian Greenwood retired after 35 years at VPHA/Gateway. ACH appointed its first ever CEO, Tim Fallon.
2012
ACH hired more staff and purchased more properties, outgrowing the office space in Mottingham, and bought a property in Lewisham, which is still the organisations current office space. It is shared with two other Christian organisations: Micah (including Achieving Excellence) and Ecclesia Church.
2013
ACH celebrated 25 years of opening doors for Key Christian Workers, created a booklet and held a celebration to commemorate the day!
2014
ACH merged into VPH65 in July 2014 to form Mission Housing Association Ltd (MHA) to carry on the ministry of housing key Christian workers in areas in need of a Christian influence and to therefore support Christian ministry and church planting across London. Jim Gilbourne was appointed as the CEO of the merged organisation and Adrian Greenwood became the Chair of the Board.
2015
Celebrating 50 years of VPH65! We held a celebration at the CCLA offices.
2018
MHA became Mission Housing Ltd (MH) in 2018, after deregistering from the regulator of social housing, because the view was taken that the organisation wouldn't use public funded grants. Crystal Callow joined the team in March 2018, starting as CEO Jim's Executive Assistant and is now the Supporter Engagement and Relationship Lead.
2019
MH started trialling the purchase of homes outside of London, with the first shared ownership purchase beyond the M25, in Reading.
2020
COVID-19 hit and it was thought it would be a quiet year. Turned out to be very busy with seven purchases. Phil Green joined as the 3rd CEO of MH!
2022
Katie Shelley joined the team in July 2022 as the Property and Admin Assistant to increase the online presence through social media and started organising visits to all associates. This was also the busiest year for purchases with 15 new shared ownerships and one outright purchase.
Bruce McGill joined the team in December 2022 as the 4th CEO, setting out the new 3-year plan.
2023
In 2023, MH is no longer London-centric and are officially able to help house those in all of England and Wales. We currently help house over 80 associates, working with churches and Christian organisations from Crawley in the south to Leeds in the north, and Cornwall in the west to Debenham in the east.
2024
We are sad to share that on the 22nd January 2024, John Davies passed away.
Mission Housing is 10 years old in July 2024, with a total of 59 years since it all started. We are going to hold a celebration linked with our AGM. Look out for more details about that!