Roy Farmers MBE JP MCIM

You would have to search hard to find a more energetic, enthusiastic and inspirational member of the Royal British Legion than Roy Farmers.

But, that is only part of Roy's life for he has been actively involved with the Scout movement for most of his life, has been a Magistrate for 30 years, was heavily involved in the design and construction of the Copythorne Parish Hall, is a member of the Church family at St.Mary's and still finds plenty of time to spend with his wife Ruth, his growing family and his circle of close friends.

Roy was born in Lyndhurst in October 1936 and grew up in Copythorne where he has lived for most of his life.  He was educated in Netley Marsh and at the Gregg School in Southampton before joining an architectural practice in Southampton.

His work was quickly interrupted by National Service and, between 1954 and 1957, Roy served with the Royal Air Force as an air traffic controller before flying long-range maritime patrol Shackleton aircraft.

Back to the drawing board, he moved to Ordnance Survey as a cartographic surveyor and was posted to Nottingham during his time with the national mapping agency. 

Roy returned to Hampshire, joining Hampshire County Council in 1958 as a Junior Planning Officer and was based, initially, in Lyndhurst, eventually becoming Planning Officer for the New Forest Rural District Council.

He went on to work in Romsey and Stockbridge before leaving the County Council in 1978 to going into private practice.

Roy balanced this successful career with his wide-ranging leisure interests.  He served as Hampshire County Commissioner with the Scouts, re-formed the Copythorne Branch of the Royal British Legion in 1965 and was elected Branch President in 2002.   From 2006 until 2014 he was appointed County President and in that capacity Roy has served the Hampshire Royal British Legion with great distinction.

Add to this his 30 years of service as a magistrate on the New Forest Bench and all his other interests and it becomes clear that Roy Farmers is not only a major figure in his local community but highly regarded across a much wider area.

Ask Roy what is the greatest of all his interests and he will say, "People".