RAFA Costa del Sol
RAFA Logo
RAFA Costa del Sol

RAFA Costa del Sol
Branch 1342
Serving South West Spain

Meet Your Committee

Bee Would
President

Bee Would

Bee will be providing an introduction about herself soon.

Reg Haywood
Life Vice-President, Honorary Treasurer & Welfare Office

Reg Haywood

Reg joined the RAF in 1960, straight from school, as a Boy Entrant in the trade of Air Radar. After graduating from training at RAF Cosford, he was posted to various locations around the UK including Watton, Yatesbury, Coningsby, Cottesmore, Cosford and Topcliffe, with a two and a half year "holiday" at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in-between, finally retiring from the RAF as a Sergeant in 1973.

Reg joined ICL as a Computer Engineer and graduated to Service Management and Project Management, before being made redundant in 1999 at the ripe old age of 56. Unable to find gainful employment, Reg realized all his assets and moved to Spain in 2000 with his wife Mary, now sadly deceased.

He has always had a great love of music and played the Tuba, also dabbling with the saxophone and clarinet, in various Voluntary Bands throughout his RAF career and also in civvy life. He was also given the dubious task by the Station Commander at RAF Topcliffe of forming and conducting a Voluntary Band. It has to be said that Reg played with probably more enthusiasm than talent but at least it was enjoyable.

He was a founder member of the Benalmádena Branch of the RAFA and has served on the committee continuously in the role of Treasurer and sometime Secretary, as well as carrying out extremely rewarding duties as one of the Branch’s Welfare Officers.

Following a query from the RAF Music Services about bringing one of the RAF Bands to Spain, Reg jumped at the opportunity and organised two very successful concerts by the RAF College Band and RAF Regiment Band in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Unfortunately bureaucracy got in the way of further concerts but it is hoped they can be revived one day.

As if the RAFA didn’t keep him busy enough, he also works one day a week at the municipal library in Benalmádena.

Having just reached retirement age and in receipt of a UK pension, Reg is looking forward to many more fruitful years serving the Royal Air Forces Association in Benalmádena.

Graham Would
Chairman, Public Relations

Graham Would

Graham started his interest in the RAF through his father Sqn Ldr J Would DFC and Bar PFF, a Navigator, Bomb Aimer and Pathfinder who completed two full tours in WW2.

Born in 1952, Christened at RAF Dishforth, Graham moved from base to base with his parents, even living in Aden in the mid 1960’s. He found that he could not have a career flying with the RAF when he became short sighted in his late teens, and subsequently went to Norwich School of Art and trained as a Graphic Designer specialising in Multi media and Public Relations.

Graham worked in London for many years designing and producing conferences, multi media and stage shows, eventually setting up his own company. He started working for the Miss England and Miss World organisation producing stage shows and photography around the country.

After moving to the Midlands he started to work for the RAF and the Army doing Military Photography, then in a partnership was contracted as the Graduation Photographer for RAF Halton Recruit Training Squadron, this he continued for around 10 years, till late 2018.

He also became part of the Air Cadets, was Media and Communications officer, and also Chairman of 1260 Newark and District Squadron for around 9 years, he also got involved at Wing Level becoming Deputy Wing Chairman for Trent Wing.

His younger son Jonathon Is currently in the RAF, and his older son Leon is a Manager for Vodafone.

Graham and his Wife Bee a former Theatre Sister retired to Spain in 2018 having visited the area extensively for around 10 years. His interests are Food and Wine, Historic Buildings and History, Italian Cars and Photography, and looks forward to attempting to move the Branch forward after the devastating affects of Covid.

Alyson Dean
Branch Secretary

Alyson Dean

Alyson will be providing an introduction about herself soon.

Archie Ferrier
Membership Secretary

Archie Ferrier

Archie will be providing an introduction about himself soon.

Constance De Nooij
Social Events Secretary

Constance De Nooij

Constance will be providing an introduction about herself soon.

Mike Greenwood
Mollina District Co-Ordinator

Mike Greenwood

Mike will be providing an introduction about himself soon.

Sqn Ldr Mike Greene
RAFALO Representative

Mike Green

Mike will be providing an introduction about himself soon.

Andy Blyth
Web Master

Andy Blyth

Andy joined the Royal Air Force in 1989 as an L Tech TC, and spent time at 2SU RAF Bampton Castle working on HF Radio, RAF Buchan on the Type 92 Radar, RAF Stanmore and RAF Bentley Priory on Radar display and communications systems and finally 1001SU RAF Oakhanger on Satellite Communications. He left the Royal Air Force in 2003 as a Cpl to work for Serco on the Paradigm Skynet 5 Contract, where he worked in Secure Satellite Communications for the MoD. In June 2013 he joined Copperchase Ltd as a Project Engineer and is now the Operations Manager where he designs, builds and installs Air Traffic Controll systems around the world. He says he has travelled more working for Copperchase than he ever did in the RAF, as his only overseas tour in nearly 14 years was the Falkand Islands.

He's not a committee member but took over as Web Master in 2004, and we thought you would like to know a little about him.

Andy lives in Poole, Dorset back in the UK.

RAFA Logo

© 2004–2024 RAFA Costa del Sol Branch 1342
RAFA Registered Charity 226686 (England and Wales),
SCO37673 (Scotland),
Costa del Sol (Benalmádena)
Branch Spanish Registration G93009629

Facebook @rafacostadelsol

Website designed and hosted by Andy Blyth