Eastbourne fundraiser Roller Roy appears on bus in celebration of community champions

Roy, 85, walked 1,000 miles during lockdown in aid of Dementia UK and he’s got the statistics to prove it. He took 2,392,665 steps and burned nearly 78,000 calories over 376 hours of walking, religiously clocking up 10,000 steps a day, even in the pouring rain. As he clocked up the miles on his daily walk up and down Eastbourne seafront, Roy composed poetry in his head. This resulted in a volume of poetry ‘Poetry in Motion’, with all proceeds going to Dementia UK. Roy is now into his second 1,000-mile odyssey for the same charity.

When he first saw himself on the side of the bus, Roy said he was so surprised he nearly walked into a lamppost.

“I had tears in my eyes. I’m a very, very proud man. It’s been an amazing journey and there’s still more to come,” Roy said.

He began raising money for children’s charities many years ago after tragically losing his baby daughter to childhood leukaemia. At 78, he learned to rollerblade as a way to raise more money for charity. He still sometimes gets back on his skates, albeit usually holding on to a rail. Roy’s photograph and story (told inside the bus) is part of the bus company’s Above & Beyond series featuring community champions who have gone out of their way to make a positive impact on other people’s lives.

Martin Harris, managing director at the bus company, said: “Roy’s energy and positivity is an inspiration to us all and reminds us to squeeze the most out of every day.”