The event brought together housing professionals, policy leaders, and community voices from across Scotland for a day of reflection, inspiration, and forward momentum.

Marking 30 years of being ‘Your Partner in Housing’, the gathering was a vibrant showcase of SHN’s enduring commitment to collaboration and sector-wide improvement. With over 150 delegates in attendance, the day was filled with thought-provoking sessions, powerful storytelling, and energising calls to action.

The programme featured a stellar line-up of speakers, including Kevin McLeod of Scottish Veterans Residences, whose deeply personal account of accessing housing as a veteran moved the room and underscored the human impact of housing policy. His lived experience brought a vital emotional lens to the plenary session led by Lt Cdr Susie Hamilton RN Ret’d, Scottish Veterans Commissioner, where speakers discussed the specific challenges faced by veterans when accessing housing – and how the sector can help.

The opening keynote session brought together representatives from the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO), the Chartered Institute of Housing (CiH), the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), Shelter Scotland, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), and the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE).

Each speaker shared insights drawn from the breadth of research and policy work published over the past year, offering delegates a comprehensive overview of the current housing landscape. The session culminated with Gordon MacRae of Shelter Scotland urging the sector to unite with a strong voice, calling on housing professionals to engage with both local and national politicians to ensure housing remains firmly on the political agenda.

The breakout workshops were well received, offering delegates the chance to dive deeper into key themes and share practical insights. Covering topics including damp and mould data, housing options, net zero, co-designing services, MMR and RRTP, each session was expertly facilitated and sparked lively discussion. Attendees praised the workshops for their relevance, energy and the opportunity to learn from peers across the sector. These sessions truly embodied SHN’s ethos of collaboration and continuous learning, reinforcing the value of our member-led network.

The day also celebrated SHN’s roots, with founding directors Morag Boyter and John Wolstencroft joining the event. In a serendipitous moment, it was discovered that Liz Cooper of the Scottish Prison Service, one of this year’s speakers, had attended the very first SHN meeting back in 1995, bringing the journey full circle.

SHN was delighted to welcome five new members to its board of directors: Brian Pearson, Callum Wynd, Anne Jenkins, Gillian Findlay, and Chris Ellis. They join existing board members Graeme Winning, David Cargill, Finlay Ross, Julie Watson, and Mark Weir in steering SHN’s future.

Chief executive Andrea Finkel-Gates reflected: “Our strength lies in our network — we are member-led, collaborative, and committed to improvement.  Our annual gathering was a testament to the power of coming together to share challenges, opportunities, and best practice. It’s this spirit that has carried us through 30 years and will guide us into the future.”

The Annual Gathering reaffirmed SHN’s role as a cornerstone of Scotland’s housing sector, offering data, insight, and a platform for shared learning.