Sad news about Rob Jenkins

Rob Jenkins – known in this forum as ROBBO – sadly and very suddenly passed away last week.
Rob started working as a Welfare Rights Officer for Stockport Council in 2001. He worked at Stoke-on-Trent Citizens Advice Bureau before then.
Rob was a devoted and highly-skilled advocate for the most vulnerable people of Stockport, helping them to navigate their way through complex benefit problems and tribunals, securing many millions of pounds in payments for residents during a very successful career.
Rob was also a key figure in the Greater Manchester Welfare Rights Advisers Group (GMWRAG) and the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA).  His knowledge of social welfare law helped not only our residents in Stockport, but advisers around the country, many of whom have a tale to tell about ‘that decent bloke, Rob’ from Stockport Welfare Rights.
Although very serious and dedicated about his work, Rob never missed an opportunity to make us laugh.  Deliberately slurping tea in team meetings was my favourite.
Our Welfare Rights & Debt Advice Team has seen very little turnover of staff during the past 20 years, and therefore, inevitably, the loss of Rob, is incomprehensible and very raw. A huge hole has been left behind in our team and in our hearts.  He will be missed by us all.

Oh, how sad ...

RIP Rob .... and condolences from us all here to his friends and family and colleagues.

Best wishes .. Shawn

Sorry to hear about Rob, lovely bloke and great welf, will be sadly missed.

I’m truly sorry. His was one of the names I’d watch out for whenever I’d put up one of my exasperated queries here.

This is such desperately sad news Helen - he will be missed so much here in the forum and at NAWRA - sending condolences to all of you at Stockport WRU as well as his friends and family xx

GMWRAG tribute now live at https://gmwrag.wordpress.com/2022/12/19/rob-jenkins.

If anyone has anything they would wish to add then by all means please let me know.

I have been advised that Rob’s funeral will take place on Tuesday the 4th of January 2023 at 2:30pm. Venue to be confirmed.

Obviously this post is aimed at those GMWRAG members and others in the North West who knew Rob but don’t necessarily follow @GMWRAG tweets or https://gmwrag.wordpress.com.

About to post a similarly brief message on the latter which usually triggers an automated tweet so apologies in advance to anyone who sees this three times today.

Further to the last post please see https://gmwrag.wordpress.com/2022/12/23/full-funeral-details-for-rob-jenkins-now-available/ for full funeral details.

I do not have the link for the live stream as yet but will post it here as soon as its available. Won’t be posting it on the main GMWRAG web site for fear of some kind of Zoom bombing event. Whilst such things are rarer nowadays, and Rob would doubtless have found it hilarious, that obviously isn’t the prime consideration.

There is now a tribute site set up for Rob which can be found at https://robjenkins.muchloved.com/?_gl=1*1x3vkp6*_ga*MTQxMTQ5ODgwMS4xNjcxNzk0NDkx*_ga_R0559FN1H6*MTY3MjI1ODU4MC4zLjEuMTY3MjI2NDAyNC45LjAuMA

There will be a webcast of the funeral which can be found at https://watch.obitus.com. You will need a user name and password and for, hopefully, obvious reasons I’ve not posted those here or on the GMWRAG web site. Please DM @GMWRAGtweets if you’d like the details.

If you can’t attend on the 4th in person or virtually then I understand the webcast will be available for a period afterwards.

I will have already DM’d certain key accounts by the end of the morning hopefully.