South West

• As a leading national trade body that is embedded in the aerospace, defence, security and space supply chain, ADS’ team are dedicated to supporting members with ongoing success  
• As part of our enhanced regional offering, ADS are bringing that wider knowledge to a granular, local level – ensuring our support is available to our members, where they are.  
• ADS South West members will receive access to all ADS activities and continued local activities, including: 
  • A dedicated local team who understand the needs of businesses in the West Country
  • Access to local business development support via the in-region ADS team
  • Dedicated South West Special Interest Groups formulated around issues that matter
  • Attendance at regional business development and networking events
  • A formal, dedicated South West Advisory Council to steer activities and decision making
  • The opportunity to join ADS Special Interest Groups (SIGs), offering opportunities to meet with peers and shape the national landscape
  • Access to all ADS events
  • Access to significant political and policy development expertise 

In recognition of the complex operating environment, the WEAF Board approached ADS in 2025 regarding the future direction of the organisation. Following an extensive period of collaboration, the WEAF Board concluded that a change in operations was necessary to enable continued growth and to provide enhanced benefits, value, and influence for its members.

ADS has a long history of engaging in regional activities – our offices in Northern Ireland and Scotland respectively deliver significant local engagements. By way of example, in Northern Ireland, the dedicated ADS team have grown membership from 7 members to over 150 members, and through close relationships with local authorities and bodies, have successfully delivered a doubling of local turnover in our sectors to over £2bn at the culmination of the strategy.

ADS is in a unique position to provide enhanced connections into both central government and within regional frameworks and will leverage our connections to support increased political engagement via our newly appointed External Affairs Director for the Regions. ADS also work closely across the four sectors of aerospace, defence, security and space, and have a long history of delivering multi-sector engagements for businesses to allow them to enter new, adjacent industries.

It is our intention to use this experience and the strong foundations built by the WEAF team over recent years to enhance, expand and provide access and value for WEAF members that extends beyond their existing position.

As part of the launch of ADS South West, existing WEAF members will become members of ADS, with the ability to access the full range of ADS’ services, alongside support from our dedicated regional team.

For 2026, there will be no changes to your membership fees and payment dates. As WEAF membership dues are paid on a moment in time basis, this will continue throughout 2026. Our priority is to delight our members, providing unparalleled service and no nasty surprises – that’s why we’re committed to providing an enhanced set of activities for WEAF members that offer value for money at existing WEAF fee levels.

As both organisations offer a different fee structure – with ADS operating a calendar year payment – we will look to further combine this process in early 2027. Information regarding fees will be discussed with your official point of contact directly in due course.

Following the transition, national ADS members who are located in the region will benefit from a greater presence, more local events, networking opportunities, and regional lobbying efforts.

There are no changes to your existing access to national ADS membership benefits.

Please reach out to southwest@adsgroup.org.uk and we will confirm your next steps.

Due to the volume of queries expected, our replies may not be as swift as we would like them to be. We aim to respond within 5 business days.

This can be done at any time. Please contact southwest@adsgroup.org.uk

Every business we support is different. Our membership fee structure is banded, based on some specific characteristics of your organisation – please reach out to southwest@adsgroup.org.uk and we will advise you on the costs associated with all forms of ADS membership.

The transition of WEAF into ADS South West will take place over the coming months, culminating at the end of the tax year. From 1 April, ADS South West will take over all WEAF operations.

ADS South West members will be able to access all ADS member benefits from 1 April 2026, as well as the new groups to be created exclusively for ADS South West members.

For events and networking, ADS South West members will receive the ADS discounted member rate for all paid events.

All ADS South West members will be able to book onto an ADS-facilitated pavilion using our special ADS member rate.

ADS make it our business to generate our members business. Through membership to ADS South West, members will gain access and support from a dedicated business development team across all sectors in region, explore opportunities and intelligence via our online platform with updates sent straight to your inbox, and can take part in regular Meet the Buyer programmes – including with Primes, OEMs and major government departments. Furthermore, ADS South West will continue the Cluster events and B2B engagements that WEAF have previously delivered

In 2025, ADS hosted 10 International Trade Missions, 8 International Pavilions, and 128 Global B2B engagements. As a sector that delivers 45.4 billion in exports annually, widening access to international markets remains a core pillar of our events offering.

WEAF CEO Colin Turner has supported the transition process and will be leaving the business at the end of February 2026. ADS would like to thank Colin for his dedication over the last 7.5 years at the helm of WEAF, and acknowledge the strong impact he has had in developing the aerospace sector, in particular, in the region.

The day-to-day team from WEAF will transition to form the ADS South West team, led by Ed Raggett as ADS South West Director. Based in Yeovil, Ed previously led ADS’ Aerospace Business Development with a specific focus on Meet the Buyer, Discovery Tours and missions to sites such as Boeing in Seattle.

The team will be supported by ADS’ 100+ further employees, and will report directly to Jon Gray, Chief of Staff and Managing Director for the Regions at ADS.

During the transition period and to ensure that members are being supported as locally as possible, ADS will have small bases in both Bristol and Yeovil – two hubs of manufacturing excellence that happen to also be well connected to the wider region!

Our events calendar will be coordinated across the wider region to ensure that all members are able to connect and make the most of their ADS South West membership within their local communities.

During Farnborough International Airshow, where ADS operate a large UK presence, ADS South West will have a dedicated pavilion. Spaces are available, and further information can be found here.