Committee & Tutors

Steve Dace, RoSPA Advanced Tutor

Steve has been a member of RoSPA since 2012 and has been awarded Gold on all three retests.  He has been recently awarded Advanced Tutor grading with RoSPA and also holds an IAM Masters Distinction.  Steve has also gained membership of HPC, commonly referred to as the driving elite.

He is keen to promote road safety using methods that incorporate individual driver development.  An avid supporter of ‘Advanced’ driving in all forms with desires to assist everyone to achieve their driving goals.

Steve has a general interest in motoring, the car industry and motor sports including F1, Touring Cars, Rallying, and Hill Climbs.

Ian Pruce, Membership Secretary & RoSPA Advanced Tutor

As well as a top graded driver, Ian is also a keen motorcyclist and has been involved with helping people improve their safety on the road for over 20 years. He is a RoSPA gold award holder for both driving and motorcycling and an Advanced Tutor in both disciplines and Diploma holder respectively. He also holds qualifications with IAM RoadSmart as a National Observer and Masters holder.

He says, “One of the biggest thrills comes from helping someone else realize an improvement in their driving.  That may be improved self confidence, achieving a RoSPA qualification, or just sharpening their skills.”

Rob Harvie-Clarke,  RoSPA Advanced Tutor

Rob Harvie Clark has been a keen driver all his life.  As well as a huge business mileage, he has driven many racing miles on UK and European tracks and competed in classic rallies across Europe, both as driver and navigator.

He worked as a chartered mechanical engineer in the diesel engine industry for international companies for many years and then set up his own thatching business which prospered for 15 years until retirement.

He is a keen classic car driver, who until recently used to own a Austin Healey which he had owned for 46 years. Rob also maintains his “modern” himself.

He loves being the co-driver, tutoring drivers at all levels to reach their full potential. Rob has been awarded RoSPA Advanced Tutor grading.

Nick Borst-Smith, RoSPA Advanced Tutor

He has always had close relationship with most branches of motorsport and cars of all abilities and currently owns a 1933 Austin Seven Special and an Audi RS3. Nick is an Advanced Tutor and holds a Gold membership of RoSPA and holds the IAMRoadsmart Masters Distinction award.

Keen to promote safe driving as a pleasurable experience, through knowledge, understanding and ability.

 

Joanne Gifford, Committee Member

Jo has been driving for twenty years and at first enjoyed the freedom of driving anywhere and everywhere but then lost her confidence after having children. Following being made aware of various advanced driving groups Jo finally plucked up the courage and decided to give it a go.

“It was the best thing I did as not only did it help me gain my confidence but also gave me my love of driving back.”

 

Jeremy Child. RoSPA Advanced tutor

Nigel Richards – Committee Member

Unusually, Nigel is the only Committee member who is not yet an Advanced Driver, starting his training earlier this year.

A keen motorist since 17, he is a car enthusiast and had one of the first right hand drive Audi Quattros.

Now semi- retired after owning businesses for forty years, he is a keen musician. Currently drives a Jaguar XKR, a FWD Yeti and a BMW 440i M Sport and holds an MBA and a Masters in Musicology

Dave Penny, Committee Member and RoSPA Diploma Holder

I’ve been a member of RoSPA since 1997, taking my first test and passing with a Gold in 1998, after which I started teaching for my group in Taunton. I took my Diploma in 2006 and have successfully retested for it every three years, including in August 2021. I’m a firm believer in further training for drivers after they’ve passed their test, although this is very much a minority view.

I currently volunteer as a driver with the Red Cross, transporting patients between hospital and home.

Jeremy Flynn RoSPA Approved Tutor

I was taught to drive at 17 by an ex-Police driving instructor and have enjoyed driving ever since.

I passed my first RoSPA test in 1994 while working in the London Ambulance Service where I was also a driver assessor for new recruits.

I joined Hertfordshire Police in 1996 transferring to the Roads Policing Unit in 2005 on my 40^th Birthday!   I passed my Police advanced course in 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed patrolling the roads and motorways of Hertfordshire at speeds between 55 and 155 MPH!

I can confirm that the vast majority of collisions (they are not called accidents anymore) are caused by human error! I became a Pursuit Management Instructor and Tactical Advisor and retired in 2020.

I joined Exeter &East Devon Advanced Drivers, passed my test again in 2021 and became a tutor because I wanted to share my love of driving and hopefully encourage people to see driving as something to engage fully with and enjoy at the same time. I do have a Motorcycle license, but much prefer four wheels!

John Badley, RoSPA Advanced Tutor (non Club Affiliate & Advisor)

John initially passed the IAM Advanced driving test at 18, he then joined RoSPA in 2002.  In 2015  John completed the RoSPA Diploma in Birmingham and has since become a member of HPC, gained IAM Masters distinction, is a Blue light Driver & Rider and also became the Regional Coordinator for RoSPA, covering Scotland, Ireland, South West and some Midlands groups, a role that he recently stepped down from. Numerous drives with the likes of Chris Gilbert, Andy Morrison, Ian Dalling & Dennis Leworthy, all notable police driving instructors of old and now with current serving officers.