Thank you Robin
I first heard about Robin before I met him. His reputation preceded him. When I worked at Sussex University in the 1990s there was a general buzz of excitement about his classes. Robin actually took students out of the classroom into the lived experience of the economy in practice – the waste dump became the living classroom.
Many years later, I had the absolute pleasure of working with Robin on a project on sustainable design for the Design Council. What could have been a standard consultancy project, turned into a world of possibility, potential and hope. It was during this time, that I experienced Robin’s mercurial mind and huge vision at the same time, combined with minute attention to detail and always rooted in practice. I asked him how he managed to combine such big picture, out of the box thinking with such precision and detail. His explanation was unexpected – he said it was a reflection of his astrological chart – and dominant influences of Gemini and Virgo.
Exactly the same combination as mine! From that time on, I felt like we were true kindred spirits.
He became my mentor and confident. It was no surprise that I turned to Robin for his guidance when I was offered the role to co-create a new economics programme at Schumacher College. I was somewhat daunted by the task and also slightly reticent to return to academia, books and theory.
Robin was incredibly enthusiastic about the opportunity. Of course you must take it he cried. And what’s more I will help you.
And so it was, I took on the role and Robin become the new economics advisor for the ‘what was to become’ postgraduate programme in economics for transition. The programme was inspired by many of Robin’s ideas and experiences in the world of social innovation, fair trade, ecological design thinking, zero waste and the circular economy, to name but a few.
Robin shared his ideas, experience and wisdom so generously and rapidly became one of the most popular visiting teachers on a range of different programmes. Here are a few quotes from faculty and students at Schumacher College
“Robin was a continual source of inspiration and wit. What endeared him was his deep curiosity about and attention to all those he spent time with”.
“While being a great story-teller, it was the quality of his kind listening and attentiveness that really shone through”.
“Robin was a great and engaging presenter. I really enjoyed his manner and learning from all his wisdom”.
“He has a very warm and inviting approach”
A lasting personal memory I have of Robin at the College was his enthusiasm about community living and all things practical. He was always to be found in the kitchen, apron on, chopping carrots, and sharing his latest reflections say on, the power of distributed networks, scaling up the new economy, social venturing and cooperation in the age of google.
Other days, he was to be found in the garden, raking leaves. ‘Julie’ he said, ‘I noticed that I was raking the leaves in straight lines when everyone else was raking them in circles.’ We laughed. Robin was always so full of humour and insight, joy and hope, always in service of a more beautiful, just and ecologically thriving world that most of us can only glimpse.
We all miss Robin hugely at Schumacher College.
Thank you Robin – your memory lives on each and everyone one of us that you touched so deeply with wisdom, insight, generosity and humour.
29 November 2018