Summary of the Hawk Board Minutes – 10 July 2026
Summary
Minutes of the Hawk Board Meeting held on 10 July 2026
The Chair opened the meeting at 13:30.
Present:
Board
Mark Upton (MU) Chair
Gary Biddiss (GB) Vice Chair
Helen Fox (HF) Specialist Member
Gordon Mellor (GM) Specialist Member
Martyn Standley (MS) Specialist Member
Cameron Balfour (CB) Scottish Hawk Board
Rachelle Upton (RU) Co-ordinator/Treasurer (Non-voting)
Clubs/Members
Steve Smith (SS) British Falconers Club
Talia Hassan (TH) Raptor Awards
Sara Skalman (SSK) Raptor Breeders UK
Sharon Creffield (SCR) South Eastern Raptors Association
Nick Havermann-Mart (NHM) Welsh Hawking Club
Ex-officio Members
Jim Collins (JC) SUN
Co-Opts (No entitlement to vote)
Charlie Heap (CH) BoP Centres
Charlotte Souto (CS) Display Givers
Barbara Royle (BR) Lost rehab Birds
Sarah Calderwood (SCA) PR
Ben Kniveton (BK) Social Media
Nick Fox (NF) UNESCO
Tom Dutton (TD) Veterinary Adviser
Apologies:
James Legge (JL) Countryside Alliance
Don Ryan (DR) Irish Hawking Club
Mark Fielder (MF) Scientific Advisor
Dean White (DW) South East Falconry Group
The meeting covered governance, membership, regulatory issues, Scottish matters, campaigning, and future elections.
Key Points and Decisions
Previous minutes: The minutes from the previous meeting had been circulated in advance. No matters arising were raised, and the minutes were approved for signing.
Chair’s Report
MU noted this was his final meeting as stand-in Chair and welcomed strong interest in the forthcoming election. He recommended for the future that the new board should look at digital voting, a review of membership arrangements, greater club representation, and broader engagement from falconry organisations.
The main regulatory concern was uncertainty around Article 10 certificates for birds used in displays. Members agreed that inconsistent interpretation by APHA and police creates risk for bird owners, display operators, clubs, zoos and educational events.
Action: MU will draft a formal letter to APHA, with input from CH and GB, seeking clarification, clearer guidance, and an interim position on Article 10 requirements. JC will advise on the appropriate government recipient.
Treasurer’s Report
RU reported that Hawk Board remains financially healthy, supported by savings, donations and fundraising. Election costs, particularly postage, were high, reinforcing the need to consider digital voting.
The treasure asked that all correspondence should be sent to the official Hawk Board email address for record-keeping. (thehawkboard1@gmail.com)
Membership and Co-options
The Guild of Falconers: Members discussed the Guild’s application, noting both reservations about its newness and support for its aims around education, conservation and wider community engagement. Following a short presentation by Sharron Burley, the Board accepted the Guild unanimously.
Raptor Rescue
The Board supported, in principle, adding a co-opted representative linked to wild bird rehabilitation, subject to confirmation by the new Board after the election and appropriate vetting.
Updates
UNESCO: All eight falconry submissions have been put forward as standalone entries and are with reviewers. If any are merged, the submitting organisations should still be clearly named.
CITES: Members raised serious concerns about proposed registration changes, particularly the potential impact on imports, breeders, genetic diversity and conservation after 2027. The issue will require continued pressure on officials and European engagement.
Scottish update: CB reported progress on mountain hare licensing for falconry and highlighted the general licence consultation and forthcoming Schedule 2 quarry review. Hawk Board should continue responding to consultations collaboratively.
SUN update: JC’s work was praised. Key concerns included positive lists, especially in Scotland, and the need for coordinated messaging around “Education, not pet bans.” CB and SCA offered to support JC’s Scottish Government meeting.
IAF: MU reported that falconry remains highly regarded within UNESCO having attended the The 11th General Assembly of the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, on behalf of IAF.
He also noted growing European CITES registration issues and IAF plans for a Europe-wide breeder meeting.
Countryside Alliance: The main issue relevant to Hawk Board was concern over an RSPB report on illegal killing of birds of prey and its potential use to support further legislation.
Any Other Business
The Board agreed Hawk Board branding and leaflets should be available for the Game Fair stand. Members also discussed possible follow-on events linked to Vowley and the Archives and the Falconer’s Gathering in September.
Members discussed objections to raptor displays, including the cancelled Hopetown display, and agreed Hawk Board should consider coordinated responses, better information-sharing, and closer collaboration with display providers.
A practical flowchart on required bird paperwork was supported as a useful resource for keepers. Bird movement issues remain unresolved pending wider SPS discussions with the EU.
The election timetable was reviewed: 681 voting papers were being posted, with results expected on 31 August. Members noted high costs, likely low turnout, and the need to clarify voting eligibility and consider digital voting in future.
The meeting closed at 17:02.
Next Meeting
Next Meeting: TBC October 2026
Location: Zoom