Patrons
Roy Noble OBE, DL, K.St.J
11th December 2017
Roy Noble is a native of Brynaman, Carmarthenshire, but has lived for many years in Aberdare.,where he was enticed by his wife Elaine. They have one son, Richard, and a dog, Dylan.
Efforts to become a pilot with the RAF were frustrated by Hay Fever. As compensation he joined the Royal Observor Corps. As a member, he still knows where the Gwaun Cae Gurwen nuclear bunker is sited, but he couldn’t possibly reveal the place.
His early career was in education and, in the latter years, he was the Headteacher of two primary schools in Powys. He attained several bursaries and a Page Scholarship to study education systems in Germany and in eight regions in the United States of America.
A move to broadcasting at the BBC in Wales, saw him work as a presenter on radio and television, attaining a Sony Award in radio and a Royal Television Society Award as Regional Presenter of the Year on television. He broadcasts in the Welsh and English languages. He was a co-presenter of a magazine television programme for S4C and acted, as a ‘ yob’ neighbour in a successful comedy series. He has been associated with the BBC for over thirty years and, although he is synonymous with highly successful, regular, radio programmes, he has presented many entertaining television documentaries, including ‘ Noble Trails, Noble Guides and Common Ground’.
He is much sought after as a public speaker and, in response to invitations, has travelled widely, regionally, nationally and internationally, such as Welsh Societies in Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto. He also has a wide knowledge of Wales, geographically and historically and has published several books, including ‘ Roy Noble’s Wales’ and ‘Noble Ways – Laybys in my Life’.
He has also ‘voiced’ many television advertisements and documentaries.
He has chaired several influential bodies and conferences and hosted many prestigious events. He is involved with many charities, across the whole spectrum of care and need, as Patron, President or Vice President, and was awarded an OBE for services to charities and to Welsh communities.
He is the Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Mid Glamorgan, a Knight of the Order of St.John, a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International, the Welsh Ambassador for the RVS, a Fellow of Cardiff Metropolitan University, a Chancellor’s Medal holder at the University of South Wales and a member of the National Eisteddfod’s ‘ Gorsedd y Beirdd’.
He was the Patron at the 100th Anniversary commemoration of the Senghenydd Mining Disaster. He had worked in the village as a teacher, and played rugby for the village side. He is from coal mining stock, over two generations, his grandfather was killed in the Steer Pit, Gwaun Cae Gurwen and,although only nine years of age, still vividly remembers his grandfather’s body being brought home.
He was event host host at the unveiling ceremony of the Bronze Red Dragon in Flanders, in honour of all soldiers who served in the First World War.
His interests are varied, including sport, as a past rugby and soccer referee, battlefields, having visited many at home and abroad, car travel, especially re-visiting places of his past and, as a quirk, he is a qualified bus-driver.