Council

Michael Wood
President

As a historian broadcaster and film maker Michael has brought history alive for viewers and readers in Britain, the US and worldwide. He is the author of several highly praised and best-selling books on English history including number one best sellers In Search of the Dark Ages and Domesday, and also The Story of England. Michael’s interest in China began at school with AC Graham’s Poetry of the Late T’ang, was extended at Oxford where he shared a house with a Sinologist and continued with visits to China from the early eighties, first filming there in the late eighties.  Since 2013 he has made a dozen visits making films, above all for the six-part Story of China which set out to give the general viewer an introduction to the grand sweep and creative riches of Chinese history. Michael has been President of SACU since January 2020.

Pete Jarvis
Chair
In 2026 Pete took over as SACU Chair. He first became interested in China whilst hearing stories about his great uncle George Hogg, from George's sister Rosemary. Pete spent a wonderful few months backpacking in China in the late 80s and returned in 2016, when he got involved in SACU. Pete has been instrumental in building SACU's web presence and aims to make more use of SACU's rich history and digital archive to attract new members and further the society's aims.
Zoe Reed
Chair Emerita

Zoe Reed was SACU Chair for 14 years from 2009 and became Chair Emerita in 2025. She has a direct interest in building links and understanding with China as her father was Chinese - however she did not meet him until the 1990's when she traced him to his home town of Lanzhou, Gansu province. Her father came to UK under the sponsorship of Joseph Needham and hence Zoe's commitment to building SACU. Zoe is a Director in an NHS Foundation Trust which provides mental health services and is married with two grown up children. In 2016 Zoe wrote a book illuminating the history of British-Chinese relations, "A Bridge Between Hearts"

Gerard Tierney
Treasurer
Gerard joined SACU in the mid-80s, but soon had to quit due to a massive increase in his other commitments. His interest in China and its culture always remained, and he re-joined over 30 years later, slowly increasing his involvement. Gerard has worked in film, but also as an administrator in charity fundraising, and as a volunteer on the London improvised music scene. He is still active in film, and now has some connection with the production and promotion of work by some young Chinese filmmakers. This has no bearing on his voluntary work with SACU, and vice-versa!
Walter Fung
China Eye Editor
Walter Fung has been a member of SACU since 1983 and has served on Council since 2000. He has a degree in Chemistry and is a retired textile technologist. Since his retirement he has gone back to his roots and is interested in all aspects of Chinese history and culture. He is especially interested in the early Chinese community in the UK and overseas Chinese communities in general. He has travelled extensively and has been to China many times.
Frances Wood
Vice President
Frances Wood attended SACU meetings when still at school and then studied Chinese at Cambridge, joining the first SACU Youth Tour to China in 1971. She worked in the Chinese section of SOAS Library and eventually became Curator of the Chinese Collections in the British Library, retiring in 2013. She has travelled extensively in China and written many books, including The Blue Guide to China, The Silk Road, Did Marco Polo Go To China? The Lure of China, The Forbidden City, The Diamond Sutra, Betrayed Ally and Great Books of China amongst other things.
Jenny Clegg
Vice President
Jenny has been a member of SACU since the 1970s, serving on the Council of Management for a number of years. In the 1980s she was an education worker based in Manchester’s Chinatown before moving into higher education as a lecturer in Asia Pacific Studies. She has visited China many times: as a member of several SACU delegations, as a tour leader and as a researcher on China’s rural reforms. Jenny's particular academic interest has been in China's cooperative economy and since retiring she has continued to research and write about China and Chinese matters. She is a member of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives.
Rob Stallard
Vice President
Rob Stallard is a software developer and I.T. consultant. He met Joseph Needham while studying at Caius College, Cambridge. He joined SACU in 1988 after attending evening classes with Chinese tutor, and SACU member, David Wright. Rob has served on Council as Treasurer and as Secretary and is now a Vice President. Rob developed and maintained SACU's web site from 1995 to 2017.
Jane Hadley
Vice President
Jane has enjoyed a lifelong interest in China, its people and culture. She engages with the Chinese people in her local community and encourage the families and children to learn about, and be proud of, their Chinese heritage. She is often invited to give talks about China to local school children and community groups and is always pleased to share her interests with them. Jane has been a member of the SACU Council of Management for 24 years and served as Chair and Treasurer. She was appointed Vice President in 2008.
Andrew Hicks
Council Member
Andrew Hicks first became fascinated with China and its culture when a lecturer in Law at the University of Hong Kong during the seventies. Going on to lecture at the National University of Singapore and later settling in Thailand for some years, he lived in Asia and Chinese related communities for over twenty years. Now back in UK, being a Council member of SACU enables him to share his passion for all things Chinese. In 2015 Andrew wrote "A True friend to China".
Barnaby Powell
Council Member

Barnaby Powell has been involved in private sector development in the Chinese world for over 40 years, living in Asia for 20 of these. With Alex Mackinnon he has written China Calling, China Counting and 2018 – China goes Critical. He speaks to schools, universities and business groups on ‘The Meaning of China’ and the importance of understanding Chinese culture.