Ever since childhood, Roma has demonstrated that she has a big heart, and a determination to help others. She was born in Antigua, where she lived with her father and her Nan. Roma’s elder brother left Antigua for Britain, where he joined the British Army, married and made his home in London. He sent for his mother, who settled in Cardiff, and who in turn sent for 15-year-old Roma in October 1959.
When Roma turned 17, she trained as a nurse in Bath. She then returned to Cardiff where she married and eventually had seven children. “I wanted to be a nurse, get married, and have a big family. I did all of them! You can see I’m blessed.” =
It was when Roma was about 26, that a chance encounter set her off on a completely new course. “I used to take my daughters to ballet and tap dancing. One day one of the ladies came in her uniform and I said ‘hmmm, wow! that is lovely, what is this Uniform for?’ and she said she was in the Territorial Army. I said ‘I want to join, can I come?’ and she said yes. So I went up on the Wednesday night and did the training.”
As part of the Territorial Army, Roma joined the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) as part of 203 Welsh General Hospital, later 203 Welsh Field Hospital. She served for 25 years in Germany, Belgium, France and across the UK, providing nursing to British Army soldiers.
“We went to the hospitals and we were training in the fields, just mock practices… Just looking back and seeing how much I enjoyed the army and meeting different people every year… It was one of the best things I did. I loved it!”
Roma has also fostered 20 children, tirelessly supported her community and is the founder of Windrush Cymru Elders, a group that promotes understanding of ethnic minority elders’ concerns, and marks the contributions of people of African and Caribbean descent.
In 2023, for her tireless work helping her community, she was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s New Year’s Honours. In 2024 at the Welsh Veterans’ Awards Roma won both the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ as well as being conferred with the title ‘Veteran’s Award Champion’ which is awarded by the judging panel to recognise the individual who has done so much in the veteran and overall community.