Parish of Leatherhead - June Robinson BEM
In loving memory ofJune Robinson15th June 1942 to 20th September 2023Parish Church of St Mary & St Nicholas, Leatherhead Monday 16th October 2023 at 11.00 am |
 |
June’s funeral service, at our parish
church of St Mary & St Nicholas on Monday 16th October,
was taken by Rev David Ireland BEM who said: “We are here to give thanks
to an exceptionally gifted lady: June Robinson who will be known to so
many of you through her many roles and interests. It would be too
dangerous for me to mention all the activities in which she was
involved, for fear of not mentioning them all and thus causing offence.
Suffice to say, she was awarded the British Empire Medal in the late
Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours for all that she had contributed to our
local community – and that is accolade enough.
She was a person of extraordinary energy and enthusiasm, energised and guided by a deep faith and love of this church and those who worshipped here. She was also a hugely devoted mother to Gareth and Hywel and a very proud grandmother to Thomas, Edward, Alice and Joseph.
So there is so much to thank God for as we begin this service ... the content of which June left us in her will.” (laughter)
Eulogy for June (by son Hywel)
When I was 15 years old, we went on a family holiday to California - believe it or not it was the first time any of us (including Mum) had ever left Europe. When we landed, Mum and I went for a look around, and I remember standing there with her, just outside the airport, and both of us being amazed, really blown away, by the thought that we were in America. It seemed impossibly exotic at the time. Later in the same trip, I think we had our first ever pizza, and even that at the time seemed like something quite special.
Mum had travelled an incredibly long way since then, and I don't just mean geographically. She had very much seen the world – she had visited around 70 or 80 countries, some with us, I suspect even more with some of the people here today (she loved organising trips with friends) - but she had travelled in other ways as well. In the last 30 years, she had done so many things of which she was extremely proud, things which were important to her sense of who she was. Her work with the Arts Society, the LCA, the Surrey Hills and the local community, and the friends she made along the way, were all hugely important to her, and so many of you have been kind enough over the last few weeks to contact us and let us know how important she was to you, something we really appreciate.
Her last big journey was up to Edinburgh in July, for Matt and Grace's wedding. When you see photos of Mum standing in front of Machu Picchu or Angkor Wat, a few hundred miles on a train to Edinburgh might not seem like much, but, given her physical difficulties at the time it was a real challenge for her. She was so pleased she made it though and had that one last chance to see so many of her wider family. Sylvia, Suzanne, Karen, Tim, Matt and Grace – she would have been so happy that you were here for her today and thank you so much for making the trip for her.
One thing that never changed was what she was like as a Mum. I suspect that everyone thinks they have the best Mum in the world – well, I'm afraid that everyone else is wrong. Gareth and I, and Jess and Elizabeth, were with her for the week before she died. In that time, she saw all of her grandchildren, and as ever they were a huge source of happiness and comfort to her. Tom, Edward, Alice and Joe, and Miriam and Ayleigh, she was always so happy to see you, and so proud of you - whenever she heard from you in any way it would put a big smile on her face, something that I hope you always remember. During that week, in spirit at least she was exactly the same Mum I've known since I was very small. She was the kindest, most thoughtful, person, someone you could talk to about any subject in the world. One of the hardest things in the last few weeks has been getting to that point in the day when I might normally give her a call and realising that I can't.
I wouldn't say that she was ready to go as such – she loved her life, and in all honesty, I think she would have liked more of it – but I do know that she went with no regrets. She told me near the end that she felt she'd lived a good life, a full life, and a life she could be proud of, and who could possibly disagree with that? I am certainly incredibly proud to have been her son.
So, thank you all for coming. It means a lot to us, and, more importantly, it would have meant a lot to her. As I suspect most of you here know, she would have loved this.
Reading of one of Mum's favourite poems (son Gareth): a poem by David Harkins
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
She was a person of extraordinary energy and enthusiasm, energised and guided by a deep faith and love of this church and those who worshipped here. She was also a hugely devoted mother to Gareth and Hywel and a very proud grandmother to Thomas, Edward, Alice and Joseph.
So there is so much to thank God for as we begin this service ... the content of which June left us in her will.” (laughter)
Eulogy for June (by son Hywel)
When I was 15 years old, we went on a family holiday to California - believe it or not it was the first time any of us (including Mum) had ever left Europe. When we landed, Mum and I went for a look around, and I remember standing there with her, just outside the airport, and both of us being amazed, really blown away, by the thought that we were in America. It seemed impossibly exotic at the time. Later in the same trip, I think we had our first ever pizza, and even that at the time seemed like something quite special.
Mum had travelled an incredibly long way since then, and I don't just mean geographically. She had very much seen the world – she had visited around 70 or 80 countries, some with us, I suspect even more with some of the people here today (she loved organising trips with friends) - but she had travelled in other ways as well. In the last 30 years, she had done so many things of which she was extremely proud, things which were important to her sense of who she was. Her work with the Arts Society, the LCA, the Surrey Hills and the local community, and the friends she made along the way, were all hugely important to her, and so many of you have been kind enough over the last few weeks to contact us and let us know how important she was to you, something we really appreciate.
Her last big journey was up to Edinburgh in July, for Matt and Grace's wedding. When you see photos of Mum standing in front of Machu Picchu or Angkor Wat, a few hundred miles on a train to Edinburgh might not seem like much, but, given her physical difficulties at the time it was a real challenge for her. She was so pleased she made it though and had that one last chance to see so many of her wider family. Sylvia, Suzanne, Karen, Tim, Matt and Grace – she would have been so happy that you were here for her today and thank you so much for making the trip for her.
One thing that never changed was what she was like as a Mum. I suspect that everyone thinks they have the best Mum in the world – well, I'm afraid that everyone else is wrong. Gareth and I, and Jess and Elizabeth, were with her for the week before she died. In that time, she saw all of her grandchildren, and as ever they were a huge source of happiness and comfort to her. Tom, Edward, Alice and Joe, and Miriam and Ayleigh, she was always so happy to see you, and so proud of you - whenever she heard from you in any way it would put a big smile on her face, something that I hope you always remember. During that week, in spirit at least she was exactly the same Mum I've known since I was very small. She was the kindest, most thoughtful, person, someone you could talk to about any subject in the world. One of the hardest things in the last few weeks has been getting to that point in the day when I might normally give her a call and realising that I can't.
I wouldn't say that she was ready to go as such – she loved her life, and in all honesty, I think she would have liked more of it – but I do know that she went with no regrets. She told me near the end that she felt she'd lived a good life, a full life, and a life she could be proud of, and who could possibly disagree with that? I am certainly incredibly proud to have been her son.
So, thank you all for coming. It means a lot to us, and, more importantly, it would have meant a lot to her. As I suspect most of you here know, she would have loved this.
Reading of one of Mum's favourite poems (son Gareth): a poem by David Harkins
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
The music at her funeral was:
One Song from Snow White (sung by Mary Martin)
Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte (sung by Lesley Garrett)
Hymn: Jerusalem
Hymn: Guide me O thou Great Redeemer
The Lord bless you and keep you (sung by the Cambridge Singers) by John Rutter
You’ll Never Walk Alone (sung by Katherine Jenkins)
Time to say goodbye (Celtic Woman)
Here are memories of June from the Arts Society, of which she had been National Chairman:
On receiving the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours for her services to the community in Surrey.
“For the past 6 years June has been and is currently Chairman of the Leatherhead Community Association (LCA), a charity based in the Institute, gifted to the people of Leatherhead by a Victorian benefactor – with no bequest to sustain it. To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic cycle races which passed the building and the 120th anniversary of the Institute in 2012, she led the design of a superb wall sculpture commissioning the Fire & Iron Gallery and with local young people involved in its creation. This was funded by the LCA, Leatherhead Society of NADFAS and Surrey County Council.
A member of Mole Valley District’s Heritage Open Days committee for 15 years, in 2015 the Team won national recognition by the Civic Society with an award as “Star Organisers”.
June founded the Leatherhead Decorative & Fine Arts Society in 1997. During her Chairmanship the Society sponsored arts opportunities for children including the creation of a school mosaic, a workshop on stage design and a photographic project in the local primary school. She is now President of the Society.
As Chairman of NADFAS East Surrey Area she negotiated a partnership with the National Trust property at Polesden Lacey for NADFAS volunteers to create reproductions of Edwardian costumes to be worn by stewards and volunteers at themed events. These costumes and the skills of over 30 volunteers are valued highly by the Trust and visitors to the property.
For the Leatherhead Theatre, which has no local authority or similar funding, she has promoted a number of events. In 2013 there was a NADFAS lecture to complement screening of the film Summer in February, raising £3,500 towards the fund for equipment to stream live events. Then in 2014 a lecture and screening of the film Mr Turner, raised a further £3,000.
In her spare time, she is also a Trustee of the Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church, a non-denominational charity dedicated to raising funds for the maintenance of a beautiful mediaeval building, which “just swallows money”.
June says: “I've lived in Leatherhead for 45 years and am so lucky as I've always enjoyed being involved with the wider community. I am honoured and delighted to receive this award, particularly in the Queen's 90th birthday year.”
This was said of her on becoming National Chairman of the Arts Society: June's career began in Personnel with the District Bank, then a change of direction after her two sons were born. She spent the next 25 years teaching - Business Subjects, Computer Skills and Religious Studies.
One Song from Snow White (sung by Mary Martin)
Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte (sung by Lesley Garrett)
Hymn: Jerusalem
Hymn: Guide me O thou Great Redeemer
The Lord bless you and keep you (sung by the Cambridge Singers) by John Rutter
You’ll Never Walk Alone (sung by Katherine Jenkins)
Time to say goodbye (Celtic Woman)
Here are memories of June from the Arts Society, of which she had been National Chairman:
On receiving the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours for her services to the community in Surrey.
“For the past 6 years June has been and is currently Chairman of the Leatherhead Community Association (LCA), a charity based in the Institute, gifted to the people of Leatherhead by a Victorian benefactor – with no bequest to sustain it. To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic cycle races which passed the building and the 120th anniversary of the Institute in 2012, she led the design of a superb wall sculpture commissioning the Fire & Iron Gallery and with local young people involved in its creation. This was funded by the LCA, Leatherhead Society of NADFAS and Surrey County Council.
A member of Mole Valley District’s Heritage Open Days committee for 15 years, in 2015 the Team won national recognition by the Civic Society with an award as “Star Organisers”.
June founded the Leatherhead Decorative & Fine Arts Society in 1997. During her Chairmanship the Society sponsored arts opportunities for children including the creation of a school mosaic, a workshop on stage design and a photographic project in the local primary school. She is now President of the Society.
As Chairman of NADFAS East Surrey Area she negotiated a partnership with the National Trust property at Polesden Lacey for NADFAS volunteers to create reproductions of Edwardian costumes to be worn by stewards and volunteers at themed events. These costumes and the skills of over 30 volunteers are valued highly by the Trust and visitors to the property.
For the Leatherhead Theatre, which has no local authority or similar funding, she has promoted a number of events. In 2013 there was a NADFAS lecture to complement screening of the film Summer in February, raising £3,500 towards the fund for equipment to stream live events. Then in 2014 a lecture and screening of the film Mr Turner, raised a further £3,000.
In her spare time, she is also a Trustee of the Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church, a non-denominational charity dedicated to raising funds for the maintenance of a beautiful mediaeval building, which “just swallows money”.
June says: “I've lived in Leatherhead for 45 years and am so lucky as I've always enjoyed being involved with the wider community. I am honoured and delighted to receive this award, particularly in the Queen's 90th birthday year.”
This was said of her on becoming National Chairman of the Arts Society: June's career began in Personnel with the District Bank, then a change of direction after her two sons were born. She spent the next 25 years teaching - Business Subjects, Computer Skills and Religious Studies.
June & Snow White, and with her sons
Involvement in the community has always been a feature: Church groups, Scout groups, PTAs, teaching adults with learning difficulties, stewarding at the local Museum, Heritage Open Days and as a County-appointed Governor at the local 1200 pupil comprehensive school; she was also Chairman of the Leatherhead Community Association. June was awarded the British Empire Medal for voluntary services to the community in Surrey in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours List.
Her first approach to NADFAS House revealed that all local societies had waiting lists and the suggestion to start a new Society. She became Founder Chairman of Leatherhead DFAS (then President) then East Surrey ACE and Area Chairman. At NADFAS House she contributed to National Events, Training and the Societies Support Team. Elected as a NADFAS Trustee in 2010, she became National Chairman in 2015.
ARTS
SOCIETY - IN RECOGNITION
Chief Executive Florian Schweizer leads a tribute to our past Chair, June Robinson, and flags a new award to mark her legacy.
Chief Executive Florian Schweizer leads a tribute to our past Chair, June Robinson, and flags a new award to mark her legacy.
In
September we lost June Robinson, who many members and
Societies will remember from her time as Chair of The Arts
Society from 2015 to 2018. Anyone who met June will know
that her range of interests and passions - alongside
activities for The Arts Society - was truly broad. In addition
to having founded what is now The Arts Society Leatherhead in
1997, and being Chair of what was then NADFAS East Surrey
Area, she was an active supporter of multiple initiatives. Heritage
Open Days in the Mole Valley, the Leatherhead Theatre
and Leatherhead Parish Church all benefited from the impact of
her work. She was also chairman of Leatherhead Community
Association.
In 2016 she was awarded the British Empire Medal for her services to the community.
June was curious-minded and an avid traveller. She was also a keen follower of new technologies, especially those that enabled swift communication; her email response time, more or less around the clock, was usually less than five minutes. As her son Hywel says, however, it was June's involvement with The Arts Society that was 'probably the single thing that she was most proud of'. That involvement covered almost every activity and role available within our charity.
As
well as the above, she was Chair of her Society in Leatherhead
and an Area Coordinator for education, before becoming an
Arts Society Trustee in 2010. After retiring from the board
she continued to serve on the area committee; she also
developed an innovative Trail of Discovery for Leatherhead.
June lived and breathed the mantra established by our founder,
Patricia Fay - that being a member of The Arts Society should be about
'fun and friendship'.
Having
worked closely with June, I feel she defined The Arts Society as we know
it today. As much as she loved everything about the organisation and
respected its roots, she was at heart a progressive who wanted to drive
our charity forward into a bold, vibrant future. During her time as
Chair we expanded the charitable objects to include all the arts in our
educational remit. June was also a major force behind the rebrand, being
actively involved in every aspect.
Thanks
to her succession planning, she left behind a Board of
Trustees that was able to respond proactively and successfully
to the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She was also particularly keen
that our golden anniversary in 2018 should reflect
both the past and future. This is expressed in the new Chair's
badge June commissioned from a former grant recipient
silversmith, who created an elegant, modern piece incorporating the
original, which she wore with pride during the 50th anniversary
year.
June's
greatest impact, however, came through her ability to be a wonderfully
relatable, fun, reassuring and confident leader during the inevitable
turbulence of the rebrand. Despite this project proving, at times,
controversial, June exuded positivity and good humour when
engaging with challenges. And how she engaged: she travelled far
during her chairmanship, meeting people across the charity, from members
to grant recipients, patrons to partner organisations. She was a
wonderful ambassador for us, with a passion and love for all we do
radiating from her. It was on many of these occasions that I would sit
up with June, often into the small hours, planning, developing new
ideas, sharing and chatting; it was an honour and a pleasure to
work alongside her. I am sure I act on behalf of so many in The
Arts Society in applauding the great - and remarkably positive - impact
June had on our charity.
In
June's memory we are delighted to announce a new fund to support the
work of The Arts Society and our
Societies to 'enrich lives through the arts' - a slogan adopted during
June's time as Chair. We invite contributions from members and Societies
to help us
fund arts and heritage projects that June would have been passionate
about, especially those that involve
young people, arts in the community, creativity, wellbeing and craft
skills. We will provide updates on this new
June
Robinson Memorial Fund and the projects that have been
funded by it. Thank you for your support in helping
us extend the impact June had on The Arts Society.
Arts Society Leatherhead: David Hanson - June Robinson and her successor, Frank Fleming
To make a donation online in memory of June for the Princess Alice Hospice please click here
If you have any memories of June please contact Frank Haslam, the editor of these pages.
last updated 18 May 2024
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