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LEEDS, ENGLAND, August 29, 2026 (Times Caribbean) — St. Kitts and Nevis descendant and respected British community housing advocate Claude Hendrickson MBE is calling for greater Black community ownership of land and housing in Britain, arguing that long-term security must go beyond simply gaining access to homes owned by landlords, developers or outside interests.

Hendrickson, a lifelong Leeds resident of St. Kitts and Nevis heritage, made the case during a recent Power To Prosper interview with Jude Davis, highlighting self-build projects and community land trusts as practical ways for African, Caribbean and other minority communities to build lasting assets.

For Hendrickson, the issue starts with the land itself.

“Where we originate from, we talk about land first. In the UK, we talk about the house on the land,” he said.

That distinction, he argues, matters.

Community ownership models can allow residents to participate directly in acquiring land, developing homes, learning construction skills and retaining control over community assets. Hendrickson believes such approaches can strengthen families, create employment opportunities and give future generations something tangible to inherit.

A PIONEER OF COMMUNITY SELF-BUILD HOUSING

Hendrickson has spent decades putting those ideas into practice.

One of his best-known achievements was helping establish the Front Line Community Self Build Housing Association in Chapeltown, Leeds. The initiative enabled unemployed African-Caribbean men and their families to gain construction skills while participating in the building of homes for themselves.

The project eventually resulted in a street of 12 houses, while several participants reportedly went on to secure employment within the construction sector.

Hendrickson has described the initiative as one of his proudest achievements after becoming a father.

His advocacy comes amid broader concerns about the representation of Black and minority-ethnic communities within Britain’s community-led housing sector.

Research co-authored by Hendrickson and published through the University of Liverpool reportedly identified challenges including limited access to land, inconsistent funding, unmet housing needs and insufficient inclusion in decision-making.

For Hendrickson, housing is not simply about walls and roofs.

It is about ownership. Stability. Belonging.

And legacy.

DECADES OF SERVICE TO COMMUNITY

Born in Leeds in 1960 to a family of St. Kitts and Nevis heritage, Hendrickson has built an extensive record of community activism spanning housing, youth development, technology, equality, education and Caribbean diaspora affairs.

In 1979, he founded the Chapeltown Youth Association, responding to what he saw as a shortage of services and safe spaces for young Black people.

He later established the Front Line Community Self Build Housing Association in 1988, followed by the Chapeltown Young People’s 10-2 Club in 1992.

His community development work also extended into technology. In 2000, he helped open YesCyber, an early community-based internet access facility on Chapeltown Road.

Hendrickson has also supported community radio for more than two decades and previously served as president and chairman of the St. Kitts and Nevis Association in Leeds, maintaining strong connections with the Federation’s diaspora community.

He has been involved in organisations and strategic forums addressing employment, training, health, policing, media representation, Black role models and community-led housing.

Hendrickson is also associated with the Windrush National Organisation and has advocated for justice and compensation for members of the Windrush generation.

HONOURED AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

His decades of service received royal recognition when he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire — MBE.

Hendrickson received the honour during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on November 27, 2023, following his inclusion in the King’s Birthday Honours.

At the time, the recognition was celebrated within both the Leeds community and the wider St. Kitts and Nevis diaspora.

Professionally, Hendrickson has also served in equality, diversity and inclusion roles connected with organisations including Leeds Community Homes and the Confederation of Co-operative Housing.

His approach has consistently focused on empowering communities to become participants in development rather than simply recipients.

EDUCATION REMAINS CENTRAL

Despite decades spent campaigning for structural improvements, Hendrickson continues to stress personal development and education as essential tools for young people.

“Even if you think the system is against you, and the teachers are against you, you must get the most out of education. It’s the foundation for what happens to you for the rest of your life,” he has said.

Through organisations including West Yorkshire Black Male Role Models, Hendrickson has also worked with schools to encourage and inspire younger generations.

His latest intervention on land and housing builds upon the same philosophy that has guided much of his life’s work: communities become stronger when people have the skills, opportunities and ownership needed to determine their own future.

For Caribbean families across Britain, including the St. Kitts and Nevis diaspora, Hendrickson’s message is particularly familiar.

Land can be more than property.

It can be security, independence and something meaningful to pass from one generation to the next.

TIMES CARIBBEAN