A COMMUNITY centre has been renamed in honour of a former Mayor of Warrington.

The Longford Neighbourhood Services Centre on Sandy Lane has been renamed the Roy Humphreys Centre.

Roy, a ‘community champion’ who served as the town’s first citizen in 1997/98, died aged 74 in December.

He and wife Jean, who lived on Northway in Longford, devoted countless hours to the running of the community cafe.

His granddaughter Abbi said: “He did an awful lot and everyone called him the community champion.

“It’s so amazing that the centre has been renamed after him - he would have absolutely loved it because he spent so much time at the centre, it was his life.

“He was there all the time and he did everything for everyone in the community.

“They’re carrying on the good work and doing him proud.

“He was such a big character and everyone loved him for it - he was so funny and he said it as it was.

“We all loved him and we’re really proud.”

The centre was officially renamed during a family fun day on Saturday, May 12.

Cllr Mike Hannon added: “Even when he retired from the council, Roy carried on serving as a community champion for years thereafter until he sadly passed away.

“He was constantly applying for grants to keep the centre going in order to give the community a place to come and enjoy.

“It has all been down to Roy and Jean’s strong will that this community hub has kept going, and I’m just proud to have helped this to happen in memory of him and his hard work.

“Everyone who passes by will now immediately see his name.”