Ex-Painter And Decorator Seeks Information On Working Conditions At St Aldhelm’s Church

A former painter and decorator is appealing to former colleagues and the public for help after being diagnosed with terminal asbestos cancer.

Roy Payne, 56, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos, often decades previously.

Following his diagnosis, Roy instructed asbestos-related disease experts at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his illness and if it could be linked to his work history.

The father-of-three, has now joined with his legal team in appealing to his former workmates and members of the public for information on the working conditions he faced.

Roy is particularly keen to hear from anyone employed by Community Task Force, who worked with him on St Aldhelm’s Church and Church Hall in Windmill Road, Edmonton, in 1985-86. He and his legal team at Irwin Mitchell would also like to hear from members of the public with photos of the building’s interior prior to the work taking place. The project was the first job Roy had after leaving school.

Expert Opinion

“While many people often associate asbestos with heavy industry its use was much more widespread including in public buildings such as schools, hospitals, offices and churches.

“The last few years have been incredibly challenging for Roy and his family, as they attempt to come to terms with his diagnosis and what the future may hold for them. What makes Roy’s case even more shocking is the relatively young age at which he was diagnosed with this form of cancer.

“Understandably Roy has many questions about how he came to develop mesothelioma and we’re determined to help him find the answers he’s looking for.

“If anyone who worked with Roy on the church back in 1980s or who holds photographs of the interior before this time could come forward, it would mean a lot to Roy and his family. Any detail could prove vital to the investigation and provide the answers Roy is looking for and deserves.” Samantha Shaw - Senior Associate

Born in 1967, Roy left school aged 14 and joined the Youth Training Scheme to learn bricklaying, painting and decorating, before being employed by Community Task Force. His first job was to work on renovations at St Aldhelm’s Church.

Working alongside other trades, including electricians and plumbers, Roy was involved in a variety of tasks. He stripped out walls, sanded and painted pews, floors and ceilings and removed false walls, stripping them back to the brickwork. A similar process was followed on the nearby church hall.

Roy believed the walls in both the church and the hall were covered in board which may have contained asbestos. He said the boards were removed by brute force, hammers and crow bars and broken up. He would pick up the broken board by hand and put them in the skip, before sweeping and cleaning up afterwards.

Roy recalled that the dust would be everywhere, including when surfaces were sanded to get them primed for painting. Repairs were made to broken fascias and soffit boards and old guttering and pipes were taken down and broken up. He believed these could have been made of asbestos cement. Corrugated sheeting on the roof was also in poor condition and Roy had to repair this as best he could.

Prior to his mesothelioma diagnosis, Roy was active and enjoyed going out on his motorbike and spent a lot of time fishing in his spare time. He has now had to give up both hobbies and was forced to sell his bike when he was no longer strong enough to lift it.

Roy married his wife Lisa in 1995 and the couple have three children.

Roy started to experience symptoms in July 2020, when he began to struggle to breathe and his cough became worse, which he initially put down to asthma. Following tests he was diagnosed with mesothelioma on 30 September 2020.

Since then, Roy has gone through six cycles of chemotherapy followed by 18 months without treatment, but a scan in august 2022 showed the disease had progressed, which has now led Roy to begin a course of immunotherapy to help fight the cancer.

Roy said: “My mesothelioma diagnosis came as a complete shock. We’re a close family and support each other but my youngest daughter who lives at home has found my diagnosis particularly hard to take. We’re now just taking it one day at a time.

“I used to love fishing and going out on the bike, but the pain under my ribs and shoulder has become worse. Struggling with breathing has made even simple tasks like preparing dinner difficult and I can’t walk far now without getting out of breath.

“I really struggle to sleep and am up and down all night with night sweats.

“The work for Community Task Force was a long time ago now but I’m really hoping some of the other guys I worked with at the time could come forward.

“The work on the church and the hall next door was a complete refurb and there was a lot of dust around. It would be really useful if anyone has photos of how it looked in the early ‘80s before we started work, as that could really help make clear just how much work was involved.

“There must have been a lot of regular events taking place in both buildings, so if anyone has any photos from pre-1985, that would be a big help.”

Anyone with information that could help Roy is asked to contact Samantha Shaw at Irwin Mitchell on 01223 791 815 or email samantha.shaw@irwinmitchell.com

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