(By his son, Paul Winfield)
Name?
Roy Winfield
Age?
Would have been 83 (Passed away in 2019 aged 78)
Area Resided?
Ripley, Derbyshire
When did you get into BMX?
Roy, (my dad) got into BMX world by accident, I was around 6/7 years old and saw an advert in a local paper for a BMX club in Alfreton (little did we know back then, it would become an iconic venue with the clock!) Roy soon got asked to help out on club nights, setting up, and dismantling the ramps at the end of the session. After a few months of this, the guy who was running the club left, and with no one else willing to keep it going, Roy stepped in, with the help of his late wife Diane, then also with the assistance of Roger Atkins and Eric Lunn, the rest is history!
First BMX?
Bought his son too many! (Age 7, Raleigh Burner)
Tell us more about your early days in the BMX family. Any stories to share?
So, the early days were crazy, to say the least! Roy helping young kids get off the streets and ride bikes in a safe environment, soon turned into an unofficial full time job!
As the local Alfreton club evolved and the UKBFA scene grew, Roy and Diane became a main part in organising, running the events, and distributing the UKBFA newsletter monthly, and with all this going on, still a full time Police Officer! Roy’s dedication was second to none, as well as the setting up of the arenas, doing registration for the riders, being the compere for the riders when they were doing there runs, to endlessly taking photos throughout the comps.
Recently, we have been clearing out the loft and many of those photos/VHS tapes were still there which brought back so many memories. We even found copies of UKBFA newsletters, which were all done by Roy when everything was done manually with a pair of scissors, glue, and a photocopier, not computerised like it is today.
My parents driving the infamous Space Cruiser with me and many others, which became a BMX hostel when travelling to demos all over the UK and World Champs all across Europe for competition weekends! Our home was their home and every space of the floor on competition weekends you were stepping over sleeping kids who had come to take part.
Their love for the sport never waned in two decades of supporting the BMX scene, and although I never hit the dizzy heights of winning any major titles, a young local rider to the name of Jamie Bestwick whom Roy met at the same club in Alfreton, soon was unofficially adopted by Roy & Diane and he literally became part of our family.
Of all the achievements Roy had in his life, being part of the BMX family and seeing riders like Jamie achieve their dreams was unmeasurable and something he was immensely proud of.
Favorite Place?
Roy built a strong relationship with the European riders and parents, and always enjoyed spending time in Koln Germany with his counterpart.
Top 3 BMX – related memories?
Roy chasing Eric Steele, Dave Beveridge, Jamie Bestwick, and Scott Carrol around accommodation at the Tizer 88 World Champs whilst they were causing mayhem, setting fire alarms off fire extinguishers!
Myself, Jamie Besticwick, Brian Wills and a few others deciding to go and find a McDonald’s in Fareham at a UKBFA comp, got lost, wet through in the rain, and only just go back in time for us all to compete, Roy’s face was not a picture of happiness!!
Music! Roy used to organise everyone’s tapes for their runs, and was constantly getting caught out with swear words being blasted over the P/A system, with young families on the balcony spectating just out of a swimming lesson!!!
Influences?
Roy was influenced by the riders, everything Roy did was always in the best interest of us guys, he spent his own money taking riders, and towing ramps across Europe.
Who would you share a Deck with?
If Roy was still with us, and he had one last moment to stand on the deck, it would be with me, Jamie, and all the other riders he was involved with! (It would be a big deck!)
Music?
Roy loved a bit of Elvis, we could never turn him!
Favorite single Clip from BMX Video?
Has to be KOV at Mansfield, Matt Hoffman’s Flair changed the landscape of what BMX was. (Roy has the original video somewhere in the archives).
Other Interests?
Roy loved his touring caravan, BBQ’s, and most of all, his family.
Finally:
Roy was part of a big movement, and so many names to mention who was there, did their bit as well in the early BMX years, and some still do to this day. Without parents who loved the sport as we did/do, who dedicated large parts of their life to it, where would it be today…
RIP Roy & Diane Winfield
