Our Committee
As is generally known, The “Trad” is and always has been run by volunteers. The present small Committee has, with the exception of John Skuse and Cliff Colborne, “inherited” the reorganizing of the event from the former, rather more formal Committee of 23.
Our current group is aiming to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation but until this succeeds we are merely the following small but determined team of individuals.
SIR STEVE REDGRAVE CBE
PATRON
We are honoured to have Sir Steve Redgrave, himself an owner of a beautiful, classic slipper launch, as Patron of the Thames Traditional Boat Festival
LADY JUDY McALPINE
co-CHAIRMAN
Lady McAlpine was asked to ‘rescue’ the rally for 2015. The event you see today is borne out of her considerable experience and extraordinary energy. Her background is event organising, restoring old buildings and racing classic sports and racing cars.
After four years of the Thames Traditional Boat Festival she continues to consciously steer clear of learning too much about boats, but being an artist with an engineer’s brain, is passionate that beautiful classic boats and the skills that created them should be preserved and passed on to the next generation.
PETER HARRIS
SECRETARY
Peter has had a lifelong passion for vintage cars and has been a member of the VSCC since 1967. He was Membership Secretary of the Brooklands Society in the mid 1970s. Boating is a recent addition with the purchase in 2009 of Perrapin, a Broom Commander, which he owns jointly with Sue.
Peter has been hugely generous with his time having variously created and looked after our websites, developed and streamlined our online booking processes, digitized the site plans, organised the campsite and acted as Company Secretary and general administrator as required.
CLIFF COLBORNE
MOORINGS MANAGER
Cliff has messed about in and around boats for 65 years, half of which were spent as a Thames Lock Keeper. He is a familiar and imposing figure at the Trad, arranging moorings for a large number of different boats that arrive en-masse, to be accommodated on a varied river bank with dramatic depth variations – something akin to solving a complex three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle.
Cliff’s skill and diplomacy and are legendary to the extent that the Festival would be at a loss without him. We are actively seeking for two volunteers for Cliff to train.
LYNDON YORKE
VEHICLES AND PLANES
Lyndon is a genius, eccentric inventor and ‘amphibian’. He organises the vintage and classic cars, military encampment, air displays and - his real passion - the amphibious vehicles.
PAUL OWEN OBE
TREASURER
Paul has been British Canoeing’s top man for over 23-years. In 1992 he was appointed CEO of the British Canoe Union having volunteered for the sport for 17 years. A hugely influential figure in almost every aspect of British canoeing, he has also taken an active behind-the-scenes role as consultant and advisor for the International Canoe Federation.
A very welcome addition to the TTBF team, Paul joined us as a volunteer in the HQ tent last year and busied himself counting the takings! We soon discovered his many other fields of expertise which he generously offered to bring the Trad. How could we refuse?!
JOHN SKUSE
PRESIDENT
John has been a long standing member of the previous committee responsible for the earlier incarnation of the event - the Thames Traditional Boat Rally. He also serves as the Middle Thames Branch Chairman of the River Thames Society.
ADAM TOOP
co-CHAIRMAN
Adam has served as a Judge for many years and Chief Judge since 2016. He was persuaded to become Co-Chairman in 2017. Unlike his counterpart, he has a deep and broad knowledge of classic boats and understands the judging process from all perspectives. Prior to becoming a Judge, he won ‘Best in Show’ on no less than three occasions, with different boats from his collection.
Adam works closely with the leading names in boat restoration and associated trades to provide a panel of Judges with an unrivalled level of experience in their respective fields.
SUE HARRIS
BOAT BOOKINGS & ADMIN
Sue is responsible for the logistically challenging task of managing boat bookings and ensuring that entrants receive the appropriate confirmation, boat numbers, wristbands and more. While this would be is a substantial undertaking for a small team, she confidently manages this key role single-handedly.
Sue has now taken on the Admin tasks associated with TTBF, and the Festival's Facebook page.
CLIVE HEMSLEY
MARKETING
Clive has enjoyed a long and successful career in marketing. Although officially retired, he is chairman of the marketing agency Strength & Honour, who have generously provided invaluable assistance with re-branding and general marketing support.
As well as painting many of Henley’s dogs, Clive is also the man behind the large painting of the Queen’s rowbarge Gloriana. This was shown at the Thames Traditional Boat Festival last year, then sold to Westminster School. Clive gave all the proceeds to the Festival, including those from the sales of prints.
JAN STANTON
CHIEF COMMENTATOR
Jan is an accomplished boater, a keen supporter at Swan Upping with a number of different craft over many years, and a stalwart of the Trad. She single handedly dismantled and rebuilt the cabin roof of her 22' cruiser, Knave of Hearts, in a restoration that earned her three 1sts and a Runner-up in four different classes over four years in the early 2000s.
Jan also won the TVBC's Boat Handler of the Year award for a hair raising single handed trip to St Katherine's dock, and from there to Lechlade AND BACK again, also single handed.
Although not officially a member of the Committee, Jan has played a key role from the Commentary Tent since 2016 as the "Voice of the Trad". Aided and abetted by husband Mike, Jan's depth of knowledge, charm and easy informative style give the Trad's Festival weekend its familiar congenial atmosphere.