About Us
About Us
Our Mission
Our History
Our annual report
Our annual report tells our story in 2023-2024. For our full report for year ending September
2024, simply click the button below.
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Get in touch
If you have any questions about FSDP and
our scholarships, or would like to become a
supporter, please contact us by email or phone.
Susie Oakley
Chair
Susie became a Trustee in September 2022 and has now taken on the role of Chair of the charity. She is passionate about the FSDP and its foundations. Her first ever job was as PA to the co-founder and Director of International Air Tattoo (IAT), Paul Bowen, and this role enabled her to be involved and support the Flying Scholarships soon after the charity formed.
Ian Revell
Vice-Chair
Ian was appointed as an FSDP trustee in May 2019. He has over 30 years’ experience as an Air Traffic Controller and is currently a Watch Manager, working for NATS at Manchester Airport. He has also managed the volunteer Air Traffic Control team at RIAT, having close links with FSDP for many years.
David Bird
Treasurer
David became a Trustee in May 2024 and almost immediately took on the role of Treasurer. He lives in Fairford. David was a solicitor; a partner in a firm in Cirencester until he retired in 2021.
Adam Collins
Adam was appointed a trustee of FSDP in 2022 having learned of the charity through former trustee Tony Cann. A Wing Commander in the RAF, he is the Officer Commanding of The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team – The Red Arrows.
Jon Ager
Strategy & Governance
Jon joined the Royal Air Force in 1984 and subsequently served as a navigator on VC10 tanker/transport and Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft. During a career that spanned more than three decades, he became a senior leader and a programme director who most notably was accountable for the introduction of the A400M Atlas into RAF service
John Sorsby
Flying Instruction
John's aviation career started in the Royal air Force. He joined as an Apprentice Technician and spent 5 years on 617 (Dambusters) Squadron working on the Tornado GR1 before being selected to become Aircrew. He then spent 10 years as a Flight Engineer on 10 and 101 Sqns flying the VC10.
Angus Hickish
Medic
Angus Hickish (Gus) joined the Board of Trustees in 2021. He qualified in Medicine from Westminster Hospital Medical School in 1976 and was a General Practitioner in the New Forest area for many years; he also had appointments as a Neurology Hospital Practitioner and is an Approved Aero-Medical Examiner to the UK CAA and US FAA.
Tony Cann
Selection
Tony joined the RAF in 1988 under the University Cadetship Scheme and graduated from Cambridge University in 1991 with a degree in Engineering. He completed Initial Officer Training at RAF Cranwell before successfully completing flying training at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and RAF Chivenor. Selected to fly the Harrier, Tony completed his conversion training on 20(Reserve) Sqn at RAF Wittering before being posted to serve on IV (AC) Sqn at RAF Laarbruch in Germany.
Alex Krol
Alex Krol is a former Royal Marines Commando who manage to win gold at the Invictus Games after overcoming his spinal injury. Alex's career was short lived when he was involved in a road traffic accident which left him paralysed resulting in him being a fulltime wheelchair user with limited use of his body
Ollie Thornton
Ollie was appointed as a trustee in 2024, following several years of involvement with the selection boards at RAF Cranwell. He serves as a Squadron Leader in the Royal Air Force and currently holds the position of Officer Commanding the East Midlands University Air Squadron.
Rachel Greenwood
Safeguarding Officer
Rachel first came across FSDP when her late partner, Richard, received a life changing scholarship and learned to fly at Goodwood. Somehow along the cancer treadmill he had become defined by his sarcoma, his amputation, his disability and ultimately by the palliative management of his condition.
Tiina Conacher
Tiina was appointed as a Trustee in 2025, this was following a year of being involved with FSDP as a volunteer and shadowing the selection boards for scholarships in 2024 which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Rebecca Giddings
Fundraising
Rebecca was appointed as an FSDP trustee in May 2019. Until June 2014 Rebecca worked for various banking institutions including, GE, Aegon, RBS, AON and Close Brothers. Throughout a 15-year career she worked her way up through the compliance and risk departments, specialising in implementing regulatory change and translating regulation into business needs. This ultimately saw her take on a Head of Compliance role.
HRH Prince Feisal Bin Al Hussein
Patron
Prince Feisal served in various positions in the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) and is currently Deputy Supreme Commander of the Jordanian Armed Forces. Having received helicopter training, he gained his RJAF wings 1985 and went on to undergo officer training with the Royal Air Force at Cranwell.
Tim Prince
Vice-Patron
Tim, who was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2009, was one of the founder members of the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), the world’s largest military air show, where he was Chief Executive until 2014.
Guy Bowen
Vice-Patron
Guy has worked as a volunteer for the Royal International Air Tattoo from the age of 14, and has grown up alongside FSDP since its inception in 1983. He is the son of their shared co-founder, Paul Bowen. Having been surrounded by aviation from an early age, it was only natural he would go on to pursue it as a career.
Polly Vacher
Vice-Patron
Polly is an aviator specialising in long-distance solo flights, having obtained her private pilot license in Australia in 1994. She was awarded the MBE in 2002 for her services to charity, and has generated over £1,000,000 for FSDP.
Peter Vacher
Vice-Patron
Peter is an amateur engineer whose hobby for the last 80 years has been rebuilding vintage cars. He came to love aeroplanes rather later in life when he learnt to fly at fifty, flying around Australia and subsequently supporting his wife, Polly on her global solo flights.
Oliver Delany
Vice-Patron
Oli was a trustee of the RAF Charitable Trust when they started sponsoring scholars in 2006 and he would attend the annual presentation ceremony at RIAT. He greatly admired the inspiring stories told by so many of the scholars and could readily see how FSDP was indeed changing lives through the medium of flight. Consequently, he was delighted to become a FSDP trustee in 2014, and subsequently a Vice Patron.
Keith Bayliss
Ambassador
Keith joined the Royal Navy in 1977, and spent 12 years as a pilot, flying Gazelle, Sea King, Wessex and Lynx helicopters. During that time he spent time as a Qualified Helicopter Instructor and an Instrument Rating Instructor/Examiner. He also spent a period as a Flag Lieutenant (ADC).
Sara Darby
Ambassador
Sara joined the RAF in 1996 and commissioned in 2001. As an Air Traffic Controller, she has primarily been based at Fast Jet stations and controlled Tornado F3, Typhoon, Harrier, and BBMF with tours in Iraq and the Falkland Islands. She became a Boarding Officer at the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC) in 2008 and is currently Full-time Reserve (FTRS) looking after University Sponsorship and Aviation Aptitude Testing.
Fiona Luckhurst
Ambassador
Fiona has been flying microlight and light aircraft for more than 35 years and has been teaching people to fly microlight aircraft for nearly the same time. Her flying school, Shadow Aviation near Salisbury, has provided training for people with physical disabilities on specially modified microlight aircraft since 1993.
Tricia Nelmes
Ambassador
Tricia is a retired family law solicitor and has been a PPL flying instructor for over thirty years. She became a FSDP Trustee in 2009 when, as Chairman of the British Women Pilots’ Association, they chose this charity to support for their 50th birthday celebrations.
John Griffin
Ambassador
John spent 25 years in the RAF as an aircraft engineer, during which time he took up gliding as a sport; eventually becoming an instructor.
Sebastian Pooley
Ambassador
Seb's story will be coming soon!
Steve Robinson
Ambassador
Steve's story will be coming soon!
Lou Buckley
General Manager
Lou joined the FSDP family in early 2020. She is the charity’s General Manager and its sole employee. She also acts as Secretary to the Trustees.
Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by Flying Scholarships for Disabled People.
Flying Scholarships for Disabled People, a company limited by guarantee (in England and Wales) No. 08112334.
Registered Office: Douglas Bader House, Horcott Hill, Fairford, Gloucestershire GL7 4RB. Charity No. 1148914
Flying Scholarships for Disabled People, a company limited by guarantee (in England and Wales) No. 08112334.
Registered Office: Douglas Bader House, Horcott Hill, Fairford, Gloucestershire GL7 4RB. Charity No. 1148914