Bernadette O'Shea
Bernadette is a Londoner with a proud Irish heritage and has been a Quaker for over 20 years.
She is a mother and a grandmother and her family is at the heart of her life. She trained as a social worker in the late 1970s and after a spell in the voluntary sector working as a community organiser, she then spent almost 30 years in local government in a range of roles including Women’s Equality Adviser; Corporate Policy and Performance Manager; Assistant and then Director of Housing and finally as Assistant Chief Executive leading the modernisation programme. Her final roles before retirement were as Chief Executive of Hounslow Homes, and the Managing Director of Triathlon Homes.
Her governance experience started with being a school governor in 1993 (and then Chair of Governors). She has also served as Chair of Housing for Women and Clerk to London Quaker Property Trust. She is the vice chair of Refugees Welcome Hounslow and active in Citizens UK.
Explore more about what we do
Our People
Our work wouldn't be possible without our dedicated team of staff, trustees and volunteers.
What We Do
Quaker Social Action helps people on low incomes in east London and across the UK to seek solutions to the issues affecting their lives.
Over 150 Years of History
In 1867 the Bedford Institute Association was born. We transformed into Quaker Social Action in 1998.