Meet Our Team
Shelley Hobbs
Shelley Hobbs - Managing Director
Aside of being thoroughly dedicated to BeST most days and nights, I am also a keen activist in my spare time. My family and I love nothing more than getting out and about in the great outdoors; exploring new sites and adventures. Camping is one of our favourite pastimes which allows the family to have quality time and partake in outdoor pursuits. Of course, this is weather dependant as we have experienced some extreme conditions on the Gower Peninsula. Our new addition to the family is Eric! A 6-month-old Beagle with a very mischievous persona. Eric loves walking with his new family and experiencing new sites and smells – He's also a real adventurer! School holidays allow the family to experience foreign travel; our latest adventure being Thailand – an amazing journey!
×Steve Boyd
Steve Boyd - Operations Director
Hi, my name is Steve Boyd, Operations Director, and when I am not working at BeST, I race Rebels Stock Cars around an oval track with around 40 like-minded people all over the UK. My best achievement to date is to win the East Coast Championship in 2013. If you ever go racing come along and say hello.
×Irene Bailey
Irene Bailey - Finance Director
I joined BeST in April 2019 as Finance Director. I am a chartered accountant who trained in practice and spent 5 years in audit in Liverpool. After leaving practice I moved into industry and spend the last 25 years working in manufacturing and Financial Services Companies across the North West, including BAE Systems, Alliance & Leicester and Kellogg’s.
×Richard Lowthian
Richard Lowthian - Head Of Housing
I’m originally from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a true Geordie. I met my wife at Newcastle University who was from Preston Lancashire and we moved to Preston approx. 24 years ago. I got the short straw! I have a daughter at high school. I’ve really enjoyed working in a variety of social housing environments all my career that have been diverse, challenging, exciting, fun organisations and locations. I also successfully ran my own family business an independent coffee shop called Ham & Jam with an Art & Cultural twist during a four-year fun filled moment of madness.
×Peter Whitehead
Peter Whitehead - Head of revenue and benefits
I manage a small team looks after the balances on the rent accounts, we talk to Housing Benefit departments to sort out issues on our tenant’s behalf and try to collect rent in a timely manner.
×