For months now, the Duchess of Cambridge has been working with the Scout Association near her home in Anglesey, North Wales. The low-key role has proved to be one of her most rewarding and frequent commitments – with Kate often volunteering up to one evening a week. So when the Olympic authorities invited their royal ambassador to nominate an inspirational torchbearer from amongst her patronages, she put fellow Scout volunteer Jon Sayer, 33 at the top of her list.
To understand what it is about this unassuming Yorkshire man that caught her attention is to go back to the night of his birthday in August 2011. On the beat as a volunteer Police Constable, Jon ended the evening rescuing a drowning man from the chilly waters of the River Calder, sacrificing a night of celebrations – not to mention his own life – to help someone else. The reluctant hero told HELLO! Online: "Once you put on that uniform,as a paid policeman or a volunteer, you have been bestowed an honour and I was just acting on that" and added that he "didn't really do anything".
The Duchess of Cambridge disagreed. And now, she'll meet Jon as he carries the Olympic torch into Buckingham Palace on the eve of the London 2012 games. This is one experience he isn't playing down. "To get to carry the Olympic torch is fantastic. That, and meeting the Duchess of Cambridge, who is a volunteer in Scouting herself, will be absolutely incredible – something I will remember for the rest of my life."Interview and report: Andrea Maltman