Our Ambassadors

The Campaign Board, chaired by Iain Gray, has an advisory remit in support of the fundraising function to establish Aerospace Bristol. We are very grateful to the following members of the Campaign Board who are kindly giving their skills and expertise as Ambassadors

Carol Vorderman MBE RAFVR

Carol is a committed educationalist and gained a Master’s degree in Engineering at the University of Cambridge. She is patron of the University of Cambridge Science Festival, a member of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Royal Institution, and has been granted four honorary doctorates and fellowships from different Universities in Britain.

In 2014 Carol qualified for a private pilot's licence and announced plans to fly solo around the world.  On 20 November 2014 Vorderman became the ambassador to the Royal Air Force Air Cadets with the rank of Honorary Group Captain RAFVR(T).  She is the first and only female to be appointed Ambassador in the Royal Air Force Air Cadets' 75-year history.

Sebastian Conran

Sebastian Conran studied Industrial Design Engineering at Central St. Martins. He set up Sebastian Conran Associates, and has focussed his understanding on how things are made, sold, and used, as well as designing innovative, stylish products, working with top global brands, including the design of Concorde’s interior design. He has taught furniture design at the Royal College of Art, lectures frequently, judges many international design awards, and has written several books, articles and papers.

Robert Bernays OBE, Vice Lord-Lieutenant

Robert Bernays is Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, and is the Past Master of the Merchant Venturers of Bristol, the Chairman of Colston's School, and Chairman of the Berkeley family trusts. Previously he was the Chairman of St Monica Trust and non-executive director of two companies in healthcare. 

Jenny Body OBE, FRAeS, FCGI

Jenny became the Royal Aeronautical Society’s first-ever female President in May 2013, and is a Fellow and a member of the Council. She was awarded an OBE for her services to engineering and an honorary Doctorate of Engineering from University of West of England; she also became a Fellow of City and Guilds of London Institute.  Jenny is now an active supporter of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) development in schools.

Captain Les Brodie

Les Brodie served as First Officer, Captain and Flight Manager for Concorde, BA’s supersonic flagship between 1989 and 2003.  Les is the last Captain to fly Concorde, landing ‘216’ G-BOAF into Bristol Filton on Wednesday 26th November 2003. He kept a keen eye on the seven BA Concordes after they were grounded, and in particular Alfa Foxtrot at Filton. Les has visited AF on a number of occasions and was a kind supporter of Aerospace Bristol, helping to get the aircraft on display to the public.

Allan E Cook CBE

Allan Cook is a chartered engineer with more than 40 years’ international experience in the automotive, aerospace and defence industries. Allan was a non-executive director and chairman of WS Atkins, Chief Executive of Cobham PLC, held senior roles at GEC- Marconi, BAE Systems and Hughes Aircraft. He was deputy chairman of Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Limited and is a member of the operating executive board of J  F Lehman & Company. He is an Industry co-chair of the Defence Growth Partnership (DGP.), and lead Non-Executive Member of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS.) He was chairman of the UK Trade & Investment’s Advanced Engineering Sector Advisory Board, and chairman of FINMECCANICA UK Ltd and chairman of Selex ES, and formally  the chairman of SEMTA – the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies. He is past president of the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and past president of the Society of British Aerospace and Defence Companies (SBAC.) He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering where he is Vice President and serves as a trustee for the Academy, and also chairs the Academy’s employer-focused Diversity Leadership Group. He was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list in 2008, and received an honorary Doctorate in Science from Cranfield University in 2016.

Seb Hoyle Bsc (Hons)

Seb is a former financial communications specialist having held senior roles in London and the Middle East. He currently runs a property management and investment business based in Bristol and is a Freeman of the City of London.  Educated at the Universities of Wales and North Carolina, Seb is also the current Chair of the Bristol Cliftonian Society.

Air Marshal Sir Ian Macfadyen KCVO CB OBE RAF

Sir Ian entered the RAF College Cranwell in 1960 where he graduated with the Sword of Honour.  A fighter pilot, a flying instructor, member of The Poachers formation aerobatic team at RAF Cranwell, he went on to become the RAF solo display pilot for the Phantom. Sir Ian was appointed the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man in 2000, and then the National President of the Royal British Legion from 2006 to 2008, before being appointed as the Honorary Inspector General of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle (2009–14). He is a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the RAF Museum.

The Hon. Lady McAlpine

Lady McAlpine is an experienced events organiser and has been responsible for arranging a range of events including the popular annual Fawley Steam Festival. She is a keen supporter of young people and is involved with many charities. 

Air Marshal Sir Peter Norriss KBE CB AFC MA FRAeS

Air Marshal Sir Peter Norriss had 35 years in the Royal Air Force as a pilot, flying instructor and operational commander on fast-jet aircraft, before moving into staff appointments largely involved with future equipment.  He retired from the RAF in 2001 when Deputy Chief of Defence Procurment (Operations) and Controller Aircraft on the Air Force Board.  He then had several appointments advising aerospace and defence companies, was a non-executive director, and now acts as a university adviser.  He is a graduate of Cambridge University and of Harvard Business Schools' Advanced Management Program.

John Prior, FCA

John has served on the Prince’s Trust, was Chairman of the South West Regional Council and remains as co-Chairman of the Business Awards Panel and Chairman of the Kanabus Awards Panel. His other charitable activities include: Chairmanship of the Bristol Drugs Project; Director of South Western Housing Association; Member of the Bristol Steering Group of the Community Self-Build Agency and Trustee and Director of The Matthew of Bristol Trust Ltd.

Tim Ross

Tim is the Chairman of Hargreaves Services plc and of a number of private or venture capital-backed companies. He is a past Governor of Bristol University, President of the Dolphin Society and Council Member at Quartet Community Foundation and Clifton College.

Pierre Horsfall CBE

Pierre worked on the development phase of Concorde from the project’s inception in 1962 to the first flight in 1969.  During this time, Pierre performed a liaison role working with the Anglo/French Project Directors, culminating in his appointment as Technical Assistant to Sir George Edwards OM, Chairman and Managing Director of the British Aircraft Corporation, who at the time was the lead International Director of the entire project.

After an impressive political career as Senator of Jersey for 27 years during which time he held a number of major portfolios, culminating in the equivalent of Jersey's Chief Minister for his final six years, Pierre is now the Chairman of Jersey Opera House Ltd and a Trustee of Visit Jersey and holds voluntary positions in many other organisations in Jersey.   

Pierre was awarded an OBE for services to the community in June 2000, followed by a CBE in the 2003 Birthday Honours List.

Richard Greener

Flight Ambassadors

Captain Colin Morris

Colin gained his PPL in 1958, aged 17, on Tiger Moths thanks to the RAF Flying Scholarship Scheme. In 1959, after leaving Wellington College he joined the Fleet Air Arm of The Royal Navy. His first front-line tour was on 800 Squadron embarked in HMS Ark Royal flying the Vickers Supermarine Scimitar. After 2 years in Malta, training Observers, he converted to the De Havilland Sea Vixen to join 899 Squadron, embarked in HMS Eagle. After 8 years he left the Fleet Air Arm in 1967 to join BOAC, flying Boeing 707s. As a co-pilot he qualified as a Flight Navigator and gained his command in 1975. He was invited to join the fledgling Concorde fleet in the summer of 1977. He became a Route Training Captain and continued to serve the Concorde fleet in a variety of roles until his retirement from BA in November 1995, eighteen years later. He continued to fly Rockwell Twin Commanders for the corporate world until 2012. 

Captain Tim Orchard

Captain Tim Orchard began his flying career just 50 years ago. He has flown over 90 types of aircraft and is currently licenced to fly Aeroplanes, Helicopters, Hot Air Balloons and Hot Air Airships. Tim is an air-test pilot, a Display Pilot, a Flight Instructor and a Senior Examiner and Assessor (of Pilots, Flight Instructors and of Examiners) for the UK Civil Aviation Authority. He jointly holds the Concorde World Record time for the journey from New York to London: 2hrs 52 minutes (7th February 1996). Tim has flown in formation with the Concorde on several occasions, which of course few ever have done, including the Heathrow 50th Anniversary with Red Arrows and several air-to-air photography sorties. 

 In his career with British Airways Tim flew the Hawker-Siddeley Trident, the Concorde and the Boeing 777 as well as spending nine years as personal pilot to the BA Board, in an executive aircraft. Tim was also Managing Director of an ex-BA subsidiary which ran its own airfield and flying schools.  He was for nine years the UK, Ireland and Iceland sole distributor for a range of Italian aeroplanes, called “Tecnam”. Tim’s toys at home are four hot air balloons and a deHavilland Tiger Moth aircraft.