The Viscount Trenchard of Wolfeton (Chairman)
Lord Trenchard is a grandson of the first Lord Trenchard , the founder of the Royal Air Force and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. He joined Kleinwort Benson Ltd in 1973 and was Chief Representative in Japan from 1980 to 1985 and 1993 to 1995. He was a Director of Kleinwort Benson Ltd from 1986 to 1996 and his other directorships include Robert Fleming & Co Ltd, from 1996 to 2000, Berkeley Technology Ltd, since 1999, and the Dejima Fund Ltd, since 2001. He is Director General of the European Fund and Asset Management Association and is a Vice Chairman of the British-Japanese Parliamentary Group. Lord Trenchard was appointed Honorary Air Commodore, No.600 (City of London ) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, in April 2006. He was a trustee of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund from 1991 to 2003 and was reappointed as a trustee and Chairman in 2006.
Air Marshal Sir Roger Austin
Sir Roger Austin served in the Royal Air Force for 40 years. His final appointment was Deputy Chief of Defence Procurement (Operations). Since retiring from the RAF he has worked as a defence and aviation consultant. He became a trustee of the Fund in 2000 and is Chairman of the Welfare Committee and the Main Grants Committee. Sir Roger was National President of the Royal British Legion from 1997 to 2000 and is currently the President of the Victory Services Club.
Lady Bagnall
Lady Bagnall is the wife of Air Chief Marshal Sir Anthony Bagnall who retired from his last appointment as Vice Chief of Defence Staff in 2005. Trained as a Registered Nurse, Lady Bagnall has held nursing positions in hospitals, in the community and in general health practices. Her final post was as a manager of an Abbeyfield nursing home in Suffolk. Lady Bagnall was a member of the RAF Benevolent Fund’s Main Grants Committee from 2000 to 2005. She became a trustee of the Fund in 2006.
Air Vice-Marshal David Couzens
David Couzens joined the Royal Air Force in 1968 as a University Cadet whilst reading Engineering at Churchill College, Cambridge and served for 36 years. His final appointment was as Senior Directing Staff (Air) at the Royal College of Defence Studies. Since retiring from the RAF he has been engaged in future development of the aerospace engineering profession and with a number of charities. He was a trustee of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund from 2003 to 2004 and was reappointed as a trustee in 2006.
John Davies
John Davies is a retired Deputy Chairman of Lloyds TSB Group plc. His spent the whole of his working life with Lloyds bank and held various senior positions up to Deputy Chief Executive. He travelled widely in control of the International Arm and was a Director of the National Bank of New Zealand and the Bank of London and South America. He was also a Director of Cheltenham & Gloucester plc and of the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. He became a Deputy Chairman of the combined group when Lloyds Bank merged with the Trustee Savings Bank. Before the creation of the statutory Financial Ombudsman Service, he was Chairman of the Voluntary Office of the Banking Ombudsman. John Davies was appointed as a trustee in 2004 and is a member of the Finance Committee.
Lawrie Haynes
Lawrie Haynes is currently CEO of White Young Green, an international multi-disciplinary consultant to the built, natural and social environment and has held previous appointments as CEO of British Nuclear Group, Group Managing Director of Telecommunications for the Lattice Group plc, CEO of the Highways Agency and Managing Director of Microtel Communications Ltd (now Orange). He joined the RAF as an apprentice in 1969 and served for nine years. Lawrie Haynes was appointed as a trustee of the Fund in 2005.
Air Commodore Paul Hughesdon
Air Commodore Paul Hughesdon is a serving RAF officer who became a Trustee of the Fund in March 2007. He entered the Royal Air Force in 1983, having previously worked in the City of London and served in the TA, and he currently holds the appointment of Assistant Chief of Staff Personnel Policy HQ AIR. Air Commodore Hughesdon is a Trustee of the Royal Air Forces Association, the RAF Central Fund, St Clement Danes and a number of smaller charities. He is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers.
Andrew Peake
Andrew Peake is currently Head of Institutional Relationship Management and Director of Investec Investment Management Limited, responsible for relationships with large institutional investment clients of Investec’s UK business, including public authorities, pension funds and charities. Both his parents joined the Auxiliaries at the outbreak of WWII and his mother became Director of WAAF and first Director of WRAF. His father was Chairman of the Fund from 1967 to 1978 and his mother was a trustee for many years. Andrew Peake became a trustee in 1996 and was appointed as Honorary Treasurer in 2004.
Victoria Raffé
Victoria Raffé is a senior member of staff at the Financial Services Authority (FSA), the UK’s financial regulator. In her current position she has responsibility for finance, management information, risk, human resources and project management for one of the FSA’s three business units. Other positions at the FSA have included responsibilities for consumer representation, market research, policy, supervision of banks and building societies and business improvement. Before joining the FSA she worked in the consulting arm of KPMG and in a number of marketing roles in the financial sector. Victoria Raffé was appointed as a trustee in 2005 and is a member of the Finance Committee.
Air Commodore David Rainford
Air Commodore Rainford joined the RAF in 1966 whilst studying medicine at Charing Cross Hospital, London and served for 36 years. Trained as a general physician and nephrologist, he was appointed consultant in 1978 and developed an interest in aviation medicine. In 1991 he was appointed Consultant Adviser in Medicine to the Royal Air Force of Oman, a post which he still holds. He is also a Consultant Physician to the UK Civil Aviation Authority and serves as Chairman of the RAF Experimental Medicine Ethics Committee. David Rainford was appointed as a trustee of the Fund in 2004.
Bridget Towle
Bridget Towle joined the Board of Trustees in 2005, having recently retired as the Joint Managing Director, specialising in marketing, of a textile manufacturing company. She is involved with Girlguiding UK, having been Chief Guide (Chairman of Trustees) and Commonwealth Chief Commissioner, 1996 - 2001 and is currently a Vice President of the organisation. Bridget Towle is also a member of the Council of the University of Leicester and a trustee of the College of Optometrists.
Air Vice-Marshal John Weeden
Air Vice-Marshal Weeden qualified as a solicitor in 1973. After a year in private practice, he joined the Legal Branch of the Royal Air Force, serving for 28 years. He served as a legal officer in the UK and Germany, and in Cyprus, where he sat as a part-time Judge. His last post was as Director of the RAF Legal Branch. Since 2002, he has been a Commissioner with the Criminal Cases Review Commission in Birmingham, investigating alleged miscarriages of justice and deciding whether to refer cases back to the appeal courts. John Weeden became a trustee of the RAF Benevolent Fund in 2004.
