Members — The Hawk Board

Specialist Members

Gary Biddiss

Chairman

Gary has been a Falconer for over 50 years and is Chairman and President of the South East Falconry Group, being a founder member when the Group formed in 1981.

A long standing attendee at Hawk Board meetings for over 20 years, Gary has represented the S.E.F.G and has been a keen contributor at Hawk Board meetings and events.

Gary now hopes to assist his Hawk Board colleagues and the Falconry Community still further in their many challenges and endeavours.

Charlie Heap

Vice-Chair

Charlie has worked with raptors for over 43 years and is the Director of the National Centre for Birds of Prey. He has hunted with raptors, bred them and flown them for display.

In 2022, Charlie chaired a panel of centres with DEFRA on zoo standards and played a major part in writing the standards.

Charlie would like to see the Board publish more guidance for raptor keepers and strengthen its role in raising standards.

Mark Upton

Specialist Member

Coming from a falconry family, Mark has practiced the art since childhood.

He is a long standing member of the British Falconers' Club Council, Hawk Board and the International Association of Falconry, where he is the current President.

Mark is also responsible for the establishment of the British Archives of Falconry.

Gordon Mellor

Specialist Member

A lifelong falconer and a member and former President of the British Falconers' Club. Gordon has presented on our sport at national and international conferences, to representatives of the UK Government, civil servants, conservation bodies and other field sports organisations.

Sara Skalman

Specialist Member

Sara was born in Sweden and has lived in the UK since 1998. She spent her adult life working in falconry, birds of prey, animal management, captive breeding, and animal training.

Sara’s background includes zookeeping, pest control, public displays, grouse hawking, Harris Hawk hunting experiences, breeding falcons, eagles and parrots, and training police dogs for the Swedish and Norwegian police and military.

Since 2000, she has also worked extensively in CITES and wildlife licensing, giving her over 25 years of experience dealing with regulatory matters affecting falconers & breeders.

Steve Smith

Specialist Member

Steve is the current President of the BFC.

Steve has five decades of practicing falconry in its fullest sense and a background in promoting field sports led conservation and will be agood advocate for the Hawk Board.

Cameron Balfour

Scottish Hawk Board

Rachelle Upton

Appointed Co-ordinator/Treasurer

Rachelle became Co-ordinator of the Hawk Board in 2014 when Jim Chick was still Chairman.

She comes from a country and farming background and later worked in IT; Risk Analysis; and Compliance within merchant banking, which gives her a good grounding for her role in Hawk Board.

Rachelle is not a falconer, but has been involved in falconry for many years, and often joins her husband on hawking trips and has visited many parts of the world meeting falconers.