Hundreds Honour Roy Pratt MBE at Moving Funeral Procession in Newham

Newham, London – June 13, 2025

Under a clear blue sky, more than 400 mourners gathered to celebrate the life of Roy Pratt MBE, the inspirational founder of the IMPS Motorcycle Display Team. The funeral procession and memorial, held with full ceremonial honours, paid tribute to a man who dedicated his life to transforming the futures of thousands of young people.

The day began at the IMPS base on Folkestone Road in Newham, where the current team, resplendent in their red tunics, stood in silent salute alongside their chaperones to form a Guard of Honour. Double-decker buses and a coach transported friends, family, and IMPS alumni to St Margaret’s Church in Barking Abbey, preceded by a striking motorcycle cavalcade of riders wearing tribute T-shirts over their leathers. With the help of a police escort, the entire procession moved with precision and dignity.

Roy’s coffin arrived at the church in a Land Rover Defender hearse, flanked by immaculate black and silver Rolls-Royces. A lone piper played at the entrance as the coffin was carried in, echoing Roy’s military past with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Inside the church, there was standing room only.

The service was led by Reverend Anne Easter and featured deeply personal reflections. Jamie Waller, a former IMP from the 1980s, delivered a heartfelt eulogy that charted Roy’s extraordinary life, from a wartime childhood and military career to his life-changing moment as a police officer that inspired him to help vulnerable children. Roy’s friend Gill Swain gave a reading, and Brian Stewart, Roy’s confident and Imps co-founder delivered a moving tribute before the service concluded with a trumpeter performing the Last Post.

Following the service, guests returned to the IMPS base for a memorial celebration of Roy’s life. A stage was set for friends and colleagues across the generations to share memories and tributes. The afternoon was filled with applause, laughter, and poignant storytelling, a fitting end to a day that honoured Roy not only as a decorated veteran and MBE, but as a beloved mentor, foster parent, and father figure to many.

Roy Pratt’s legacy lives on in the IMPS Motorcycle Display Team, which continues to shape young lives through discipline, teamwork, and performance. Over the decades, Roy and the IMPS supported more than 2,500 children and impacted over 4,000 families. Yesterday’s turnout was a testament to the deep respect and affection Roy inspired.

In accordance with his wishes, the event was alcohol-free and instead focused on community, reflection, and purpose. Donations in his memory are being collected to support the future of the IMPS via the Imps Start Trust: https://www.justgiving.com/impstarttrust.

As Jamie Waller movingly concluded in his eulogy:

“Roy, your service is complete. You served your country. You served your church. You served all of us. Your legacy lives on, in the IMPS, in the lives you’ve touched, and in the people we are because of you.”