Popular demolition man hangs up his training boots…sort of.
Today marks the last day of full-time employment for popular demolition man Roy Brown as he leaves Keltbray and slips into a well-deserved semi-retirement.
Pretty much anyone in the UK that has undergone any kind of demolition training in the past decade or more will know Roy. Perma-tanned, ever-smiling and unfeasibly Welsh, he has been the acceptable face of demolition training since he was appointed training officer at the National Federation of Demolition Contractors and the National Demolition Training Group.
Yet, to a large degree, Roy’s contribution to the demolition industry has gone largely unrecognised and undocumented. During a four-year stint with the NDTG, he delivered training sessions the length and breadth of the UK. And while those courses were – rightly – required to follow an agreed format and curriculum, Roy always managed to put his own unique spin on things to make those courses more enjoyable and more memorable. This, and the fact that he was a demolition man that had been there and worn the t-shirt, just like those he was training, made him immensely popular among those he trained. And well it might. I don’t know how many men and women Roy trained over the years; I very much doubt that he knows either. But it’s safe to say that the UK demolition industry is better trained and – more importantly – safer thanks to his contribution.
Thankfully, the industry is not scheduled to lose Roy Brown’s experience and expertise quite yet. Although he is about to finish his last day with Keltbray, he is planning to continue providing training and CPCS testing through his own training company.
He says that he will now be a little more selective about the work he accepts and undertakes. That is no less than he deserves.
Everyone at DemolitionNews wishes him well in his (semi) retirement.
