Moving tributes paid to 'kind and witty' former Mayor of Leeds Frank Robinson

Alderman Frank, who leaves two children, six grandchildren and one great grandchild, died of pneumonia at Bradford Royal Infirmary on Monday, May 25. Due to current restrictions his family will hold a private funeral, but a full celebration of his life will be held when social distancing rules are lifted. Frank was a councillor for Calverley and Farsley from 2006 until 2010 and served as Lord Mayor of Leeds in 2008. He was an active member of the Calverley Rotary Club, which has praised his dedication to the community alongside his late wife Sheila. In a moving Facebook post, the club said Frank was an all-round sportsman who captained his old school, Old Crossleyans, near Halifax, in both cricket and rugby. During the Second World War he was one thousands of young men conscripted to work in the coal mines following a decline in coal production, in a programme named after Labour minister Ernest Bevin. He spent four years working as a miner and has since campaigned for better recognition of the "Bevin Boys", who were later awarded a medal to commemorate their service. In his later years, he promoted Leeds in Bloom and encouraged his local areas of Pudsey, Farsley and Calverley in its flower displays, which frequently won Gold Award certificates. John Procter, secretary of Calverley Rotary Club, said: "Frank will be greatly missed for his work with Yorkshire in Bloom and was particularly proud of the achievements of Calverley in Bloom. "He was also actively involved in setting up the neighbourhood watch schemes in the community, plus in later life he enjoyed the social outings with 'Men Only Group' at the Live at Home in Farsley. "Frank was a very kind man, witty and dedicated to the community. Right up to lockdown he attended the club and was liked by everyone. "We will miss you. R.I.P Frank our prayers and thoughts are with his family." Rotary member Carole Owczarek added: "True gentleman in every sense with a wicked sense of fun. Will miss him at our rotary meetings. Councillor Andrew Carter, Leader of the Conservative Group, said: “Frank Robinson was a dear friend and a great ward colleague for 12 years. "He and his late wife Sheila were both Deputy Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress and then Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of our city, jobs they fulfilled with kindness, generosity and commitment. “Frank remained active in Britain in Bloom, the Rotary Club in Calverley and local politics up to only a few months ago. He will be greatly missed, he was an absolute gentleman.” A message from the Editor: Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper. Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty. So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes - from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead. For more details on our subscription offers please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP, email subscriptions@jpimedia.co.uk or call us on 0330 4033004 Thank you Laura Collins Editor -> https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/opinion/were-therewithyou-now-your-yep-needs-your-support-too-laura-collins-yep-editor-2521777