Who we are

Susan Flintoff ACIB VR

Chief Executive and Keeper of the Rolls

Susan joined the charity in April 2022 from Barclays Wealth Management. She has had a varied career working in the finance sector, fitness industry and public sector. Her military career spans twenty-eight years as a Reservist in the Royal Navy including five years full-time service.

Alistair Christie

Honorary Treasurer

Alistair qualified as a chartered accountant in 1987 and spent a number of years working in financial roles in Luxembourg and Germany. Since returning to the UK he spent a few years working into Europe from a UK base before joining The Earl Haig Fund Scotland (PoppyScotland), retiring from the role of Head of Finance in 2018. He has held the position of treasurer at the Scottish National War Memorial since March 2020.

Penelope Loudon BA Hons LLB Dip LP

Chair of the Board of Trustees

A recently retired Commercial Property Solicitor, Penny is the Scottish Government’s appointee to the Board of Trustees of the Scottish National War Memorial (SNWM), and now Chairs the Board. Penny brings a wealth of experience of 3rd Sector volunteering to SNWM as well as her legal background. A lifelong volunteer she has been involved with Armed Forcescharities for over 30 years having been VP of SSAFA Germany and a VP of SSAFA UK amongst other appointments.

Penny has been on the Development Board of the Prince's Trust Scotland, and was a Trustee of Music in Hospitals. Her focus within the SNWM team is to raise awareness of Scotland’s National War Memorial, set in its stunning location up in the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle. Along with the CEO and Board she is particularly keen to educate young Scots about it and its current relevance to servicepeople and them today.

Major General Bob Bruce CBE DSO

Executive Trustee

Bob’s career in the Army spanned 33 years, first with the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) and latterly with the Royal Regiment of Scotland. He sat on the Executive Committee of the Army Board as Director of Capability and his final position in the Army was as Military Secretary and General Officer Scotland. He retired from the Army in 2020 and now works in financial services.

Rev Neil Gardner DL MA BD

Executive Trustee

Neil has been parish minister of Canongate Kirk, the Kirk of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle, since 2006. Prior to that he was in a rural parish in Perthshire and before that an Army Chaplain serving with The Scots Guards and The Black Watch among others.

The Lord Provost of Edinburgh – Robert Aldridge

Ex-Officio Trustee

Robert has been a Councillor in Edinburgh since 1984, where he represents the Drum Brae Gyle ward. Between 2007 and May 2012 he was the City’s Environment Leader with responsibility for recycling, refuse collection, street cleaning, parks, carbon reduction and clean air. Until his appointment as Lord Provost he was Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the Council. Robert has been a board member of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre and was its chairman from 2007 to 2012. He is currently the Independent Chair of the West Lothian Public Service Partnership for People Vulnerable due to Young Age and the Fife Partnership on homelessness and short term housing support.

JJ Chalmers

Co-opted Executive Trustee

JJ's career in the Royal Marines was cut short after he suffered life-changing injuries following an IED explosion in Afghanistan. After years of rehabilitation, JJ went on to compete in the 2014 Invictus Games, where he captained the Trike Cycling team and took home three medals. As a spokesperson for this inaugural Invictus Games JJ got an insight into TV during the publicity rounds and seeking a new and thrilling adventure led JJ to embark on a broadcasting career.

He hit the ground running in 2016 with a Studio Presenter role for the Rio Paralympics and since 2017 has anchored BBC1's coverage of the Invictus Games. JJ has become a key part of the BBC's sports team with highlights including The Olympics Games and The London Marathon. As part of the BBC's Ceremonial coverage JJ commentates on The Lord Mayor's Show and considers himself privileged to have been involved in the D Day Memorial programming as well as the Funerals of The Duke of Edinburgh and Her Majesty The Queen. Other TV credits include The One Show, BBC Breakfast, Gardeners World, Dunkirk: Mission Impossible, The People Remember and the acclaimed documentary for Radio 5 Live From Helmand and Back.