A former Mayor of Lydney turned part-time reporter for the Forester has died at the age of 93

Robin Warren was born in Guildford in December 1930, the second child and only son of Bob and Beryl, a brother of Pam.

He was educated at the Royal Grammar School in Guildford until 1948. In 1949 he was called up into Royal Engineers, spending much of his time in Austria. After that he remained ‘on reserve’ and was recalled in 1956 at the time of the Suez Crisis, serving in Cyprus and Port Said as a sergeant.

Robin lived at Merrow, near Guildford until 1961, when he married Maureen and moved to Mattingley in Hampshire. In 1967 he moved again, this time to Newent, before finally moving to Lydney in 1974.

Robin initially worked for the AA, then the National Provincial Bank, finally moving to local government in 1964 eventually joining Newent RDC where he remained until the local lovernment reorganisation led him to the Forest of Dean DC.

Away from work, a friend introduced Robin to folk dancing, an interest which lasted for 60 years. This is how he met Maureen, his first wife. The same friend introduced Robin to writing, another interest which lasted for 60 years and introduced him to The Forge Centre for the Blind (now Forest Sensory Services), a connexion that gave him much pleasure for 25 years.

Robin had joined the Scouts at School and his interest in the movement lasted for nearly 30 years and saw him awarded the Medal of Merit "In recognition of Outstanding Service". It also led to him becoming involved in the Church, becoming a server and a bell ringer, and later moving on became Church Warden at Mattingley, Newent and Lydney.

Sadly, Robin’s wife Maureen died in 1982 and having met his second wife Susan through the local rambling group, he decided to take early retirement from his job as chief rating officer after 30 years of local government in 1984.

Despite concerns that he would struggle to fill his time, he wrote a year later that he never really had time to go to work in the first place! He had established a beautiful garden with Maureen, which he maintained, having found out that Susan wasn’t a gardener. She preferred to be out walking in the countryside and Robin helped her discover new routes, including working out and leading, in four stages, a Millennium Walk across the district, from the southern tip of the Malverns to Beachley Point.

Robin also qualified as a Heart of England Green Badge Guide for the Forest of Dean. Subsequently, with close friend Di Wallbank, Robin and Sue provided coach tours, illustrated talks and guided walk under the title ‘Timewalk Tours’.

Robin joined Bells Probus Club (subsequently West Dean Probus), spending rewarding monthly Wednesday mornings in the company of new friends and hearing interesting talks. Inevitably, he was speaker himself on many occasions. For all these meetings, and those of other organisations, such as the Ramblers and the Wild Life Trust, Robin wrote accounts in the local newspapers.

Through this he gained a part-time job at Forest Newspaper’s Lydney office. During quiet times he was able to write up his reports on the previous weekend’s ramble, or special church services.

Robin served the church well, as its treasurer and churchwarden. He also administered the chalice for many years. If Susan didn’t’ know where he was sometimes, he would either be found chatting with the vicar, David Evans, or sweeping the church path.

It was through his journalistic abilities that Robin became involved with the Forge Project, setting up a resource centre for visually impaired people. Once established, he served as a committee member and drove users to the centre. With Susan, he also lead short walks and helped with outings. Subsequently, Forge became Forest Sensory Services. Robin was pleased to be taken by Susan in his wheelchair to the organisation’s 30th Pearl Anniversary party in July last year.

Of the many cards received by Susan, some remember the fun at barn dances and the way Robin directed the dancing. For many years he jointly ran the Lydney Folk Dance Club, until the Church Room was demolished and the club moved to Alvington. He also called for the annual Trefoil Guild Barn Dance and many will remember the fun they had at a dance in Holy Trinity Church one year.

Retirement gave Robin the opportunity to serve the community as a Liberal Democrat town and district councillor. He was privileged to serve as Mayor of Lydney for 1994-95. During this time he undertook many engagements, including crossing the channel to Brehal, Lydney’s twin town to unveil the Avenue de Lydney. There’s also a Rue de Lydney in the same town.

During his time as Mayor lucky Robin managed to get a footplate ride on a steam engine of the Dean Forest Railway.

With Susan, there were new opportunities to holiday abroad. There were walking holidays in Austria, Malta, Madera and Cyprus. Very special were their travels to the Holy Land and the Oberammergau 2000 Passion Play. All these visits Robin recorded on his camera and they became illustrated talks for the Women’s Fellowship and Trinity Group.

Robin enjoyed membership of the Forest of Dean Camera Club and was delighted when one of his pictures got a ‘Highly Commended’. That one was subsequently used by Friends of Lydney Hospital for a Christmas Card. His photographs of daffodils were also requested for cards on sale at Dymock Church. Robin’s parents and sister lived in the village for many years and Robin and Susan enjoyed their visits, especially the Daffodil Teas in church.

In tribute to Mr Warren the Lydney Town Council Flag was flown at half-mast last week.