Meet the Team

Annabel Cook

Chairwoman

Annabel gained her Private Pilot Licence in 2001 at Coventry Airport, training on C152s and PA28s before completing tailwheel differences training in a Chipmunk at Husbands Bosworth. She has flown a variety of aircraft, including Cub seaplanes, a Mustang and a Thruster TST MkI. Annabel has a broad interest in aviation and works for FLYER, supporting the Livestreams and Club members, and writing occasional articles. Her aviation background also includes roles as an air/ground radio operator and FISO, as well as serving a commissioned officer with the Air Training Corps. Her most rewarding flight to date was her first P1 trip to Europe, which saw her cover over 2000 miles and land in several different countries.

Jo Sharpe

Secretary

After a trial lesson in a PA28 sparked a love of aviation, Jo achieved her LAPL at Barton Aerodrome with LAC flying School in 2024 upgrading to PPL in 2025. She also completed her night rating at Blackpool Airport and is currently working towards an IRR rating. She has enjoyed exploring aviation, including many cross country trips with her husband and a trial aerobatic flight with North West Aeros at Barton. One of Jo’s most exciting flights was over the Alps and Courchevel from Annemasse in a Robin DR400.  When she’s not flying Jo enjoys practising Taekwon-Do, hiking and being an Explorer Scout Leader.

Amber Dash

Scholarships Lead

Claire Hatton

Membership Lead/North West Regional Representative

Neil O’Brien

Treasurer

Neil, is a good egg (with an egg head). He is a father, business owner and holds a private pilot licence with a night rating, Neil can also fly tailwheel and variable pitch propellor.
He is skilled in many ways but has a mastery of running a business. Most people fall off their chairs when they discover Neil is a Fellow of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants (mainly because they wouldn’t trust a scouser to look after money). However, as a former corporate financier, Neil manages finances well.
If Neil could fly again, it would be inverted mainly, except for taking off and landing of course.

Rania Regaieg

Regions Lead

Rania is an aspiring airline pilot with a background in aerospace engineering, which means she knows how to make things fly – but her real dream? Taking the controls in the flight deck! Her passion for aviation started with aircraft design, but it’s the idea of soaring through the skies that truly gets her excited. After joining the BWPA, Rania wasted no time and became the South West Regional Rep in 2024, quickly stepping up as Regions Lead in 2025. Now, she’s supporting regional reps in boosting member engagement at a local level. Rania’s also passionate about sustainability, STEM outreach, and all things aerospace, aviation, and space. When she’s not flying, you’ll find her rowing on the Bristol Harbourside with the City of Bristol Rowing Club, and occasionally getting her hands dirty fixing boats.

Cat Burton

Ordinary Committee Member

Cat’s father was a wartime bomber pilot and then an airline pilot and there was never a doubt that she would follow in his footsteps. He taught her navigation at the age of four and she had mastered the Dalton Computer (CRP-5) by the age of six. Cat soloed in gliders in 1968 at sixteen and in a Cessna 150 in 1969. In 1971, Cat went to Perth on a CPL/IR course and in 1972 became a first officer with Cambrian Airways. Cat finally retired in 2017 but immediately started a new career as an instructor on PA28s and DA42s. Cat now teaches the Embraer Praetor on the simulators at Farnborough.

Suzy Gautrey

Ordinary Committee Member

Suzy always dreamed of becoming a pilot and had her first flying lesson in a Chipmunk as an Air Cadet at 16. After an initial career as an Occupational Therapist, she began flying lessons in 2004 while studying for a Master’s degree in Aviation Safety at Cranfield University. She remained at Cranfield for several years, first as a flying instructor and later flying the Jetstream 31 with the National Flying Laboratory.  In 2017, determined to pursue a career in business aviation, Suzy joined ExecuJet which later merged with Luxaviation UK. Having flown aircraft including the King Air and Citation XLS, she now flies the Embraer Praetor 600 based in Farnborough. Alongside flying, Suzy has recently completed her PhD at Coventry University and continues to instruct at Cambridge Aero Club in her spare time.

Bev Reardon

Ordinary Committee Member

Bev began her flying journey in 2016, learning to paraglide at Darley Moor in Derbyshire.  Around 2022, aware she wasn’t getting any younger, Bev experimented with flex wing microlights and also gliding.  After a flight in a fixed wing microlight, a Eurostar EV97, she was hooked and has been training for NPPL since 2024 at a small 300m grass strip in Nottingham.  Bev loves locating and flying in to small grass strips and is looking forward to a summer of adventure after becoming the proud owner of a Skyranger 912.  Alongside the BWPA, Bev’s hobbies include metal detecting and archaeology and her day job is a Senior Lecturer at a midlands university. In her spare time she’s also Parish Councillor for her area.  Bev brings many skills to the committee particularly in the areas of Outreach and Safeguarding, policy and process.  She also has a background in design work and brand identity.

Working off-committee

Anna Taplin – Communications Lead

Sharon Nicholson – FEWP Rep and Heritage Working Group

Emmaline Haywood – Sales and Merchandise Coordinator

Jess Brialey – Sales and Merchandise Coordinator

Jenna Howells – Newsletter Editor
Marina Otroshchenko – Events
Tad Dippel – Heritage Lead
Carys Eyton-Jones – Careers
Lesley Runnalls – RIN and GASCo Representative
Allie Dunnington – GAAC Representative
Jenny Townend – Membership Support

Steph Smith – Social media Lead (Communications team) / Careers
Vero Pepperrell – Social Media / Website Editor (Communications team)
Almie Austin – East of England Regional Representative
Ellie Geary and Philippa Roberts – Midlands Region Representatives
Nataliia Koval – Scotland Regional Representative
Lisa Humphrey – South Regional Representative
Emma Jones – North East Regional Representative
Daisy Williams and Jane Holmes – South West Regional Representatives

Dr Stuart E Smith

Patron