I started with his art group in the Sidney Walter centre, and like many others of his pupils I gained much nourishment and learning from him in our meetings there.. I grew to be a friend over the years, and enjoyed the many visits I had to him and also the quite regular exchanges of news, paintings and gentle advice, or quote firm opinion over the time via what's app messaging. I was very grateful to be able to contact him daily over all the Covid challenges, as I enjoyed our exchanges, and felt determined he should continue to have contact to keep on being as creative as he was in very difficult circumstances. I don't know how many people knew he had written a book which I read and urged him to publish. Roy kept amending and reamending the book and did try in the end to publish, but I think was never convinced it was ready yet to launch. Such was the man with a very wide ranging experience and a notion of perfection.. He was a very good teacher and had such a range of interests..

He mentored me a regularly urged me to try to sell or promote my own paintings, and I think I bemused him when I would say no thank you Roy, I want to spend my precious days doing what I love, not trying to flog my work. He never accepted it and tried to the end to convince me.. Such was the man..

As time progressed and eyesight became more of an issue it became harder to communicate by text, but we did still exchange new and views pretty well to the end..