Notable members
Our people
Our notable members
Welcome to our Notable Members page — a celebration of the remarkable individuals who have shaped the legacy of The New Club. From esteemed professionals and local leaders to influential political figures, our members have long contributed to the vibrant spirit of Cheltenham and beyond. Discover the stories of those whose presence has left a lasting mark on our club’s distinguished history.
The Right Honorable Alex Chalk PC KC
Alex served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cheltenham from 2015 to 2024. He served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice from April 2023 to July 2024. Prior to this, he was a barrister in the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Defence, and served as Solicitor General for England and Wales. He has returned to the law, where he still plays an important part in justice.
The Right Honourable Sir Jeremy Sullivan PC
Sir Jeremy Sullivan PC, was appointed a Trustee of the New Club in 2020. His legal career was meteoric being called to the Bar in 1968 and appointed a QC in 1982. He was then made Attorney General to the Prince of Wales, became a High Court Judge in 1997, then a Lord Justice of Appeal and also Senior President of Tribunals. Now happily retired with a home in Cheltenham with his wife Sandy, his other great love is steam engines and he has a 1.5-mile track in his other home near Aylesbury where he spends hours of his time enjoying the three trains from which he and his friends gain enormous pleasure.
Air Marshal Sir Robert Wright KCB AFC FRAeS RAF
Air Marshal Sir Rob Wright is a long-standing member and Trustee. He served in the Royal Air Force for 40 years as a fighter pilot with over 3,500 hours on a variety of aircraft. He rose in the RAF through many prestigious appointments in the US, Germany, the MOD, Sarajevo, NATO and the EU, rising to become Air Marshal. He was awarded The Air Force Cross in 1982 and knighted in 2003.
He is now happily retired to Cheltenham where he lives with his wife Maggie and gives a lot of time and service to the Club.
Norman Reynolds
The late Norman Reynolds was a member of the New Club for many years. Married to Ann who is still a member, her husband was a famous Hollywood Production Designer and Art Director of many of the most famous films of the 1970s and 1980s.
He won two Oscars for Best Production Design – ‘Star Wars IV’ and ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ in 1977 and 1981 – and the BAFTA Award for 1982 ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’. He was also nominated for the same Oscar and BAFTA awards nine times until 1988.
Steven Spielberg previously said Reynolds was the “creative core” of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films. “He possessed that rare combination of humility and utter genius,” he said. “His design concepts always exceeded my wildest wishes. A massive talent. “There was nothing he couldn’t make work,” he added. “Norm has inspired several generations of art directors. He has raised the bar on the collective imagination of storytellers and the worlds they build,” he added.
Away from his Oscar wins, Reynolds also designed sets for films such as Superman, Empire of the Sun, Alien 3, Return to Oz and the first of the Mission: Impossible franchise starring Tom Cruise.
Committee member
Dr Moira Hamlin
After initially working as a publisher, Moira studied psychology and following the award of a PhD (Clinical) she pursued a career both as a practitioner and as an academic, becoming Head of the Psychology Department in Bristol NHS Trust. She rose to become Vice Chairman of Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority. Moira’s other area of interest and expertise is the criminal justice system. In addition to having been a magistrate for 17 years, Moira was also Chair of the Avon and Somerset Police Authority for 10 years and Deputy Chairman of the National Association of Police Authorities for 4 years. For 10 years (5 as Vice Chair) she served on the University of Bristol Board.