Long-serving Larne governor receives MBE for education role

The 70-year-old Glenarm native received the honour for his voluntary services to education, and has served as a school governor for over 35 years as well as holding other positions on housing and health bodies.

He took the opportunity to pay tribute to principals, teachers, parents and support staff, saying it had been “a terrible year” for all those involved in schools as they seek to ensure the best education possible for pupils amid the upheavals of the pandemic.

The Glenarm man is currently vice-chairman of Carnalbanagh Primary School Board of Governors, as well as a school governor at Cairncastle Primary School and Larne High School.

He is a former governor of Glenarm Primary School and Carnlough Integrated Primary School.

Mr Robinson, who is a JP, served for 25 years on Larne Borough Council, and served two terms of Mayor, between 1983 and 1984, and from June 1995 to June 1996.

He was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum as a representative from East Antrim in 1996 and was appointed by the Secretary of State to serve two terms on the Northern Ireland Local Government Organisation (NILGOS) Superannuation Committee in 1995.

He currently serves as Northern Ireland chairman of Benedian Health Care in a non-paid voluntary capacity.

“Obviously I am pleased to have been awarded the honour but it is tinged with sadness when I think of all the lives that have been lost during the present pandemic, and my thoughts are with all those who have lost family members,” he said.

“It has been a horrible year for me personally as it has been for everyone else and I hope and pray that 2021 will be a better year for us all,” he added.

The Larne resident said he was greatly looking forward to receiving his MBE; “I am a great supporter of the monarchy and greatly admire Her Majesty the Queen as a born leader. I have only ever been to the palace on one occasion - as a visitor taking a tour - and it was a marvellous experience so I am really looking forward to the honours ceremony, whenever it takes place,” he said.

Click here to read: New Year honours for east Antrim’s business and community leaders.

--

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of the News Letter.