CALDICOT Male Voice Choir members presented a lifetime achievement award certificate and conferred an honorary vice-presidency on chorister Roy Jones last Thursday (April 6), when he joined them following a long illness.

Spokesperson Lyn Gauntlett said: “We were delighted to be visited by long-standing chorister Roy Jones and hope he is able to rejoin us as soon as possible.

“His visit enabled musical director Sian Hatton and choir chairman Mark Stocker to make a well deserved presentation of a lifetime achievement award to Roy in front of the whole choir. They spontaneously gave him an unsolicited standing ovation as a further tribute to his service.

“Roy is a highly respected and well liked bass chorister. His wife Diane found a diary which confirmed that he joined the choir in 1977. Forty years of continuous membership attests to his dedication, loyalty and unbounded enthusiasm for the choir.

“As a native Welsh speaker, Roy has been a huge asset in helping the choir with ensuring our Welsh diction and pronunciation is up to a very high standard.

“An ex-train driver, Roy has also worked at Llanwern steelworks and Sudbrook pumping station.

He volunteered in Coleford helping to rebuild steam trains and he is well known locally as a gifted maker of walking sticks, providing many to other choristers.

“We want to congratulate Roy on this award and to thank him for his devoted service to Welsh male voice singing.”

Mr Jones said: “I didn’t expect this – it’s such an honour and I am determined to get back to singing with the choir soon.”