Roy Noble, OBE, DL, K.St.J, Rotary Fellow is a Welsh radio and television broadcaster, writer and Bevan Commissioner.
Biography
Noble was born in Brynamman in the Amman Valley of Carmarthenshire, the only son of coal miner Ivor Noble and his wife Sadie. Brought up in Brynamman, after passing his 11 Plus entrance examination he attended Amman Valley Grammar School where fellow pupils included Vernon Pugh and John Cale. Upon completing his school education, he tried to join the RAF as he had always wanted to be a pilot, but was turned down because he suffers from hay fever. He subsequently left Ammanford and went to Cardiff to train as a teacher at Cardiff Training College where he was the President of the Students’ Union in his final year.
Teaching career
Noble's early professional career was in education and in the latter years he was a Head Teacher of two primary schools in the County of Powys. One school was in Pontneddfechan, near Glynneath and the other in Llangattock, near Crickhowell. During his years in education he attained several bursaries and was able to travel extensively in Europe to study education management systems. He also won a Page Scholarship under the auspices of the English-Speaking Union which allowed him to spend time in several states of the USA, undertaking a comparative study of education systems.
Broadcasting career
Noble's move to broadcasting was gradual and part-time, writing and presenting a weekly "Letter from Aberdare" monologue for the A.M. programme on BBC Radio Wales. He eventually joined the BBC in Wales full-time in 1985, and went on to present weekday magazine shows for Radio Wales for 27 years, winning high audience figures and a 1999 Sony Award. Television appearances have included a diet programme with Barbara Dickson and a series of Noble Guides covering many subjects from Paris to "Manliness and Mortality". The popular Noble Trails series also covered a journey along the "Celtic Rim" of Europe and more recently his series, Common Ground was highly acclaimed gaining him the Royal Television Society Award as Regional Presenter of the Year in 2000. He was a regular co-presenter on the Welsh language evening magazine programme Heno for seven years. He also completed a Welsh language television series for S4C, touring the Valleys of South Wales on a Honda Gold Wing trike. He also appeared in a Welsh comedy series and as a new character in the Welsh long running series Pobol y Cwm.
Writing career
Noble is a published author and writer. Titles include: 'Bachan Noble' ; 'Roy Noble's Welsh Nicknames'; 'Noble Thoughts'; 'Noble Ways'; 'Lay-bys in my Life' ; 'Down the Road and Round the Bend' ; 'Fact, Fiction and Fanciful Walking with Bamps' ; 'The Be Team'
Charity and other works
He was Chairman of the Wales Youth Agency from 1998 to 2001 and is often involved with public engagements and initiatives. In the 2001 Queens Birthday Honours List, he was awarded an OBE for services to the community and for charity support in Wales. He was appointed as Brother in the O.St.J in 2000, being appointed as Officer of St.John Cymru Wales in 2002, Commander in 2011 and a Knight of Grace in 2016. He has been accorded the privilege of being appointed a Commissioner with the Bevan’s Commission with real responsibilities in the Health and Care sectors in Wales as an independent 'think tank' for the Welsh Government. He was also made a Fellow of UWIC and a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International. In 2007,he became a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Mid Glamorgan and was promoted to Vice Lord Lieutenant in 2012. He retired from the post in 2017. In 2008 he was accepted into the National Eisteddfod of Wales 'Gorsedd y Beirdd' – Bardic Circle. 2009 brought the award of the Chancellor's Medal at the University of Glamorgan, now the University of South Wales for his outstanding contribution to the educational and cultural life of Wales and his tireless commitment to its people, in particular to those in need. 2012 saw extra requests for his services and commitment. He was asked, by the Minister of Education and Skills at the Welsh Government, to Chair a Group looking into the future of the Welsh National Eisteddfod. The Group completed its remit and reported back in October 2013. He was asked to be the Patron of the Senghenydd Mining Disaster 100th Anniversary Memorial Appeal. The Memorial was unveiled on October 14th 2013 with hundreds present. Roy acting as narrator of the 'tale of Senghenydd,’ including the tragedies of the two explosions at the Universal Pit, with devastating loss of life. He was also asked to be the Ambassador for Wales of the WRVS, now RVS, Diamond Champions, a scheme initiated by the Duchess of Cornwall to Honour Her Majesty The Queen, in the year of her Diamond Jubilee. Roy has appeared as an after-dinner speaker at many organisations, clubs, and societies, including engagements in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Canada. In addition, he is now one of the Patrons for the Appeal leading to a permanent 'Red Dragon' Bronze Memorial at Passchendaele, to honour all Welshmen who served and, in many cases, made the extreme sacrifice at the Battle and in the First World War generally. The statue was unveiled in August 2014. In 2017 he hosted the 100th Anniversary Commemoration ceremony of the Battle of Passchendaele at the battlefield site in Flanders. Roy is currently the Patron for Radio City 1386AM – The ABM University Health Board's Radio Service based in Singleton Hospital, Swansea.
