Tributes for man who was at the heart of the community he loved

Kevin Robinson was a keen and passionate photographer and his “Penthouse Pictures,” which he posted daily on social media, gained him hundreds of followers and friends.

The “penthouse” was the attic of his home in Burnley Road, Cliviger, where he had lived for the past 30 years.

Kevin would post his pictures and also weather reports for members of the facebook page Cliviger News.

The page was flooded with tributes for him this week with many referring him as a “legend.”

Kevin was well known in Cliviger as the village postman, a job he did for three decades.

Villagers affectionately referred to him as “Postman Pat” and he would always have a supply of dog biscuits in his pocket to ward off any attacks after he was bitten a couple of times.

Born in Burnley, Kevin was a pupil at Lowerhouse Primary School until his family moved to Red Lees Avenue in Cliviger.

He studied at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Blackburn before moving to Cleveleys where he worked in a pie factory.

After separating from his first wife, Kevin returned to live in Cliviger and applied for a job working for Guinness but he was turned down on the grounds that he was too qualified. Company bosses later changed their minds and offered Kevin a management position but he had become a postman and he loved it.

Kevin met his second wife, Ann, through mutual friends, and the couple tied the knot on his birthday in 1989.

Ann said: “We had a wonderful life together, full of fun and laughs.

“Kevin never said anything bad about anyone even if they had been unkind to him. He always said you never knew what they were going through.”

It was this compassion for people that won Kevin so many admirers and also support as a parish councillor and the first Independent councillor on Burnley Council.

Ann said: “He went into politics because he wanted to get things done for people and he certainly achieved that.

“When the bus shelter in Burnley Road was taken away Kevin was the man who campaigned endlessly for it to be brought back and he won in the end.”

Passionate about wildlife, particularly birds, Kevin’s photographs reflected his love of nature and the great outdoors. And he loved posting his photographs of Cliviger on social media and asking people to guess the location.

He loved gardening and being out and about with his two dogs, Max and Paddy.

Ann praised staff at the Royal Blackburn Hospital where Kevin died, saying: “They were absolutely wonderful, so caring and compassionate.”

Kevin leaves four children, seven grandchildren, two brothers, a sister and nieces and nephews.

Kevin’s funeral will be held next Wednesday, (December 6th) at Burnley Crematorium at 12-15pm followed by a celebration of his life at Cliviger Village Hall.

Everyone who knew Kevin is welcome to attend.