The Board comprises: seven Directors elected by the Members; the Chairmen of two embedded Clubs (The Canning Club and Den Norske Klub); and up to three co-opted additional Directors. It serves largely the same purpose as the main committee in most other Clubs. The Directors bring both broad and specialist experience to the table. The Club Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected by the other Directors. The Board is the Club’s principle governing committee and is responsible for the Club’s financial viability, its general management and well being, and for preserving the Club for future generations.
C Conrad Blakey Esq OBE RD JP
Chairman
Born in 1941 and educated at HMS “Conway”, Conrad Blakey served in the Royal Navy Reserve as a List 1 Midshipman before moving to List 3. He spent 30 years in the textile industry before combining careers in property investment and public service. He served as Chairman of Folkestone and Hythe Petty Sessional Division and Chairman of Kent Probation Committee and was awarded OBE for Services to the Rehabilitation of Offenders. Latterly Conrad Blakey chaired two National Health Service Hospital Trusts in the South East of England. He has recently retired as Chairman of Kentstone Properties plc but remains a Director of the Middle East Navigation Aid Services (“MENAS”). He has been a Member of the Club since 1987 and was elected to the Board in 2006. He was elected Club Chairman in June 2008. His interests are music, flying (helicopters and light fixed wing), golf and cruising.
Admiral the Lord Boyce GCB OBE DL
Vice-Chairman
Lord Boyce’s main career was in the Royal Navy. He served for 42 years and became Chief of Naval Staff and First Sea Lord in 1998. In 2001 he was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff (professional head of Armed Forces) and served in that position until 2003.
Lord Boyce succeeded the late Queen Mother as Lord Warden and Admiral of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle in 2005. He is a non-executive Director of two PLC boards and a cross bencher in the House of Lords. He holds a number of charitable appointments. His principal leisure interests are opera, ballet, racquet sports and windsurfing.
Lieutenant Colonel Michael J Anderson
Lieutenant Colonel Anderson had a full career in the Army serving initially with 1st The Queens Dragoon Guards and latterly in the Royal Corps of Signals. He had operational service in Northern Ireland and the Middle East. He commanded his regiment based in Scotland and was later appointed to serve as a senior member of the diplomatic staff in Brussels.
He returned to the UK from the Oman and was appointed to serve in Horse Guards and in the Ministry of Defence where his responsibilities included managing key areas of business for the Defence Attachés abroad. He was closely associated with national biathlon and was on the Army committee for a number of years. After retirement from regular service he remains in the Ministry of Defence working to look after the interests of the serving military community. Colonel Anderson joined the joined the Club in 1988; he was co-opted to the Board in 2007 and elected in 2008. His son, who also joined the Army and served with the Scots Guards, is also a Member
Colonel Anderson's interests include: golf, fly fishing, cooking and gardening.
Mrs Vanessa M Connolly
Married with three grown up children and four grandchildren Mrs Connolly came to know and love this Club when her father was a member. Joining in her own right in 2001 seemed the natural thing to do when she found herself living in the New Forest and working in London. Mrs Connolly had a career in Personnel Development and subsequently as an accountant in the textile trade. With a keen interest in food and catering she joined the House and Catering Committee in 2005 and was co-opted to Board in 2007. Vanessa now chairs the House and Catering Committee. Her hobbies are tennis, badminton and Scuba Diving.
R (Bob) L H Crawford BA CA CTA Esq
Bob Crawford is the owner of Jeffrey Crawford & Co, a firm of Chartered Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisors founded in 1979 and located in Edinburgh and London. The company specialises in taxation matters in the UK and abroad which results in a heavy overseas travelling commitment. Bob lectures extensively; he is the Secretariat of the International Network of Accountants and Auditors; and he sits on the Tax Tribunal and several technical committees of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation. ISince March 2005 he has been the Convener of the ICAS Taxation Practices Committee. He has been a Member of the Club since 1999 and was elected to the Board in 2004. Since then he has served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. Bob’s principal outside interests include skiing, scuba diving and he says his poor game shooting!
Richard J Dilworth MVO Esq
A graduate in Civil Engineering, Richard Dilworth’s early career was as an officer in the Royal Engineers. His service included operational experience in Bosnia and a highly enjoyable spell as Adjutant of a Territorial Army unit. He concluded his Army service working in the Royal Household for two years as Equerry to The Duke of York.
On entering civilian life he was appointed Project Director for the refurbishment of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park; the former country home of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The project took two and a half years to complete. He was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2006 New Years Honours List. Richard now works for the architects and designers, Foster and Partners.
He has been a Member of the “In & Out” since 1992 and became a Director in 2001. He chaired the Membership Committee until the end of 2008.
Richard is married with 2 young children. His principal interests are game shooting, Rugby and the Middle East.