There have been some changes made to the structure of the charity over the past months.
It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Dave Robinson has decided to step down in his role as a trustee of the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group (HTPG). After 20 years of dedication to his dream of returning a Hawker Typhoon to the skies, he has decided now is the time to step back, spend more time with his family and explore other passions. Dave will continue to be an avid supporter of the charity and we wish him the best of luck in his future ventures.
Co-founding Trustee Sam Worthington-Leese is continuing in his role. We are now pleased to announce that he has also been appointed as Director of the Hawker Typhoon RB396 Project. Alongside Sam, we are very excited to welcome two other colleagues that have now been appointed as Trustees; Nick Adlam and Richard Spreckley.
Nick Adlam is currently the Hawker Typhoon RB396 Supporters’ Club Membership Secretary and will continue in this vital role, the Supporters’ Club is responsible for the vast majority of the achievements and funds raised over the last four years. Nick is a former Royal Air Force Officer and now a current Airline Captain and Flight Instructor. Nick’s aviation background and passion for warbirds will be a credit to the team.
Richard Spreckley has been a Supporters’ Club member since the official project launch in October 2016 and has assisted in various roles throughout that time. A serving Police Officer and British Army Veteran, Richard brings with him skills and a set of core values that will be greatly valued within the project.
Please join us in welcoming them to the team.
Sam Worthington-Leese, Director of the project commented; ‘I would like to thank Dave for his time as a Trustee and wish him all the best for the future. I look forward to working alongside the charity’s new Trustees and the rest of the team as we strive forward towards our ultimate end goal; raising the funds required to return RB396 to the sky.’
It is also worth mentioning the structure of the charity and the project. “The charity” was established to provide the legal framework for the act of raising the funds required to rebuild Hawker Typhoon RB396. Its only members are the three Trustees, and in the Trustee role, they are responsible for satisfying themselves that the aims of the charity are being worked towards and accomplished. The charity “owns” the aircraft and everything associated with it, but that ownership is solely for the purpose of preserving it for the benefit of the public.
“The project” is the work required to achieve the aim(s) of the charity and the team responsible for carrying that work out. The project is led by the Director, who reports to the Trustees. The management team and volunteers make the decisions and carry out all of the work. Everyone on the project, and indeed the charity, is a volunteer giving up their time for free.
Without the dedication of our hardworking volunteer team, none of the progress to date would be possible. We must also thank the members of our Supporters’ Club as we move into this exciting new chapter for the future of the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group. These changes will allow us to drive forward towards the unchanged goal of restoring Hawker Typhoon MkIb, RB396 to flight.
Our work is far from finished, indeed we need much more help to achieve that ultimate end goal in a reasonable timescale. As you may have seen in the recent refocus brief, our sole focus is securing large scale funding. That takes time. If you are in a position to assist with this work, whether you have ten hours a week, an hour a week, or anything else in between, then please help us and join in with our work. Only by all coming together and focusing on the work that needs to be done, can we be sure of securing the funds required to rebuild Hawker Typhoon RB396. We cannot understate the importance of achieving more “hands on deck” to get this work done.
To volunteer on the team you must first be a member of the Supporters’ Club, please join up here then get in touch with us once you have done so. You will then be sent all relevant information that is required to join the team.