Roy Payton

Nominated by Colin Couch & Sue Balch

Stroll down to the seafront on a sunny day and you might spot ‘Roller Roy’, a rollerblading pensioner - but there is a lot more to Roy Payton than just his talent with skates.

After losing his baby daughter to cancer many years ago, Roy was determined to make a difference to the lives of sick children. A passionate ambassador of Children with Cancer UK, he learned rollerblading in his 80s as a way to raise funds. In fact, Roy has raised over £14,000 in total for charities like The British Heart Foundation and Children with Leukaemia. He also supports children’s charities like Starlight and Chestnut Tree House, travelling around to give popular fundraising talks.

When lockdown restricted his activities, Roy cheered up the residents of his protected living community by writing inspiring poems. In fact, the poems were such a hit that his local bowling club published them. In his younger days, he was a scholarship student at St. Dunstan’s College in London, did national service with the RAF and enjoyed a successful career in finance.

A happy, humorous man who always sees the funny side of things, Roy has overcome personal tragedy to become a lasting gift to his community.