Meet The Flying Squad
We believe that it is the talent and dedication of the people who work for us that makes us stand out from our competitors. Each one of us cares passionately about providing the best possible service to help you to keep your classic car on the road.
We have many customer testimonials for you to browse through or you can take a look at this short introduction to the people who keep the wheels turning at Flying Spares...
Ben Handford- Co-founder of Flying Spares, Ben began his career in Rolls-Royce parts after a chance meeting in a bar on the Greek island of Paros. When he is not organising the day-to-day running of the company, Ben can usually be found on the phone dispensing valuable advice to our customers.
Lucy Handford- Co-founder of Flying Spares, Lucy was involved from the very earliest days of the company when the business operated from an unheated Portacabin. Lucy is responsible for all personnel issues and also assists Neil in the running of the Company accounts.
Duncan Charleston- Duncan is our longest serving member of staff and will usually be one of your first points of contact with us. As Manager of the Sales Team, Duncan's years of Rolls and Bentley parts experience make him an essential "font of knowledge" for customers and colleagues alike. As well as managing his team and selling parts, Duncan also takes resposibility for stock control of new parts. Duncan started his working life at our local main dealer, Michael Powles, before moving to Flying Spares in 2000.
John Creasy- Since completing his Apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Hythe Road in 1969, John has spent his entire career in the world of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars, most recently running the parts department at Michael Powles in Leicester. We were delighted when John joined Flying Spares in 2007 and his wealth of knowledge has made him an enormous asset to us. John is responsible for managing our Used Parts Department, including overseeing the dismantling of all cars purchased for breaking.
Neil Arman- Neil is responsible for the company accounts as well as all things IT-related, including the maintenance of this website. Neil is second-in-command at Flying Spares and his involvement in the business extends far beyond his original remit of Accounts Manager!
Shawn Chattaway- Another well established member of the team, Shawn joined the company in 2001. Having jointly overseen the running of the Used Parts department for several years, Shawn agreed to join the Sales team in June 2010. With a wealth of knowledge accrued over the last ten years (including experience of almost every role in in every department within the company!), Shawn is already popular with our customers and is regularly called upon for advice and information. He is now proving to be an invaluable source of knowledge on Used Parts for the other members of our Sales team.
Peter Johnson - Peter is a key element of our Sales team, joining us in June 2005 following a career in newspaper advertising. The best decision he ever made by all accounts! As well as giving expert advice to customers requiring parts, Peter's past career in the world of media makes him the natural choice to oversee our advertising and marketing activities. As a true "petrol head" and proud owner of a Morgan +8 as well as a Triumph Stag, Peter really understands how our enthusiasts feel about their cars!
Dave Hughes- Following a long career at Peugeot, Dave joined the company in 2006 and soon became established as a key member of our Sales Team. Dave's previous management experience made him the natural choice for promotion to the role of Manager of the Goods In/Despatch Department and Dave made the transition to this new position in July 2010. Dave also takes responsibility for sourcing salvaged cars for us to purchase as well as investigating discontinued parts for remanufacture.
Malcolm Gray- Malcolm joined the Sales team in November 2006. He has spent a large part of his career working within the automotive industry, including a spell with Rolls-Royce agent JD Barclay of Oxford in the 1970's. Most recently he worked at MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association). As a dedicated Salesman, Malcolm is known for his specialism in sourcing unusual parts and dealing with those "difficult to answer" enquiries!
Martin Scott- Martin joined the company in March 2007 following a lengthy career at Peugeot in Coventry. Martin oversees all aspects of our Reconditioned Parts Department including liaising with our suppliers and processing all of your exchange units. He is also involved in all areas of Shipping and Goods In. If you pay a visit to Flying Spares in person, it is likely to be Martin who meets and greets you.
Andy Beaman- Andy was new to the world of Rolls and Bentley when he joined the Flying Squad in February 2010; fortunately he has proved himself to be a fast learner! Andy joined the Sales Team from Lichfield Accident Repair Centre where he ran the Parts Department. Another Flying Spares' "petrol head", Andy has great empathy with all our Rolls and Bentley enthusiasts, although his first love is Minis!
Jason Warren- Jason joined us in November 2009 having spent a large part of his working life within the local printing industry. Jason is a key member of the Goods In/Despatch team and all orders for new and re-conditioned parts are handled and picked by him. When not at work Jason likes to follow our underperforming local football team, Leicester City.
Antonio Williams- Antonio joined Flying Spares in July 2009 on an Apprentice Training Scheme but soon decided that the training scheme was not for him and that he would like to become a permenent fixture in the company. Antonio works in the Despatch Department with responsibility for Goods In. He has ambitions to move on from this role and to learn the ropes in other positions within the business.
Gareth Jenkins- Since joining us in 2003, Gareth has had experience of almost every job in our Goods In/Despatch Department. With the experience and ability to competently cover every position within his department, Gareth agreed to relinquish his job assembling orders, to enable him to be free to "float" and to lend his expertise wherever it is needed within his team. Gaz has also taken responsibility for the crucial job of re-organising and amalgamating all our new parts.
Anna Rooke- Initially employed on a part-time basis, Anna also joined Flying Spares in 2003. Anna is responsible for the careful packaging and despatch of our customers' orders. With the numbers of parts despatched each day increasing enormously in recent years, Anna is now established as a very much full-time member of the team.
Graham Jones- Since joining the team in 2002, Graham has worked in all weather conditions and in a number of interesting locations, carefully dismantling any vehicles that we purchase for breaking. Although he is still our dedicated "dismantler" today, Graham is relieved that most of his work now takes place in the shelter of the Workshop!
Jamie Pickering- Jamie joined us in November 2005 as a trainee mechanic and we are proud that he is now fully qualified and extremely capable. Jamie oversees the running of the Workshop and is responsible for the reconditioning and testing of many of our parts. Jamie is a valuable source of technical knowledge to fellow employees and customers alike.
Aaron Chattaway- Aaron joined the company straight from school in September 2007. He assists John in the Used Parts Department, both in the assembling of customers orders and the ordering of our vast warehouse of recycled parts. Aaron has real passion for his work and he is eager to build up his knowledge. We are delighted to see him flourishing under the expert tuition of John Creasy.
Stuart Goodwin- As a valued member of the Used Parts Department, Stuart spends his days making sure that our second hand parts are clean and presentable for despatch to our customers. Stuart is another Flying Spares "petrol head" who works on his own cars in his spare time as well as moonlighting as a part-time limousine driver (and teddy boy!).
George Mirams- A high achieving student, George joined Flying Spares' Accounts Department as a temporary assistant to Neil during the busy Summer months. George quickly made himself indespensible and we are delighted that he has agreed to continue working for us (fitting his studies in around his working hours) until Autumn 2011 . We all have our fingers crossed that he might decide that a career at Flying Spares is much more appealing than a career in medicine....!!