A WOMAN who was the first female mayor of Colwyn Bay and previously received the freedom of the town recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
Alice Robinson turned 100 on Saturday, February 5, and marked the milestone with a small family gathering at Merton Place care home in Colwyn Bay, where she now resides.
It is the latest in a lifetime full of achievements for Alice, who was also awarded a British Empire Medal in 1966 for meritorious service in the Royal Observer Corps.
She was a founding member of numerous organisations, including the North Wales Housing Association (NWHA), Colwyn Crossroads Care, and Colwyn Care and Repair, and was leader of the Liberal Democrat councillors at Colwyn Borough Council.
From 1977 until 1978, she served as Colwyn Bay’s first female mayor, received the freedom of the town in 1996, and was one of three people in Wales to be awarded the President’s Medal for her outstanding achievements for Macmillan Cancer Support in June 2004.
A member of Bay of Colwyn Town Council for 25 years, Alice also chaired groups including Conwy Voluntary Services Council (CVSC), the Conwy branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, and Conwy Community Transport.
She has also served as a health board carer member, vice-chair of the Colwyn Bay and District branch of Macmillan Cancer Support, a school governor, a trustee of Conwy Furniture Reclaim, a member of Friends of Theatr Colwyn and the Sir Henry Morris Jones Trust, and a member of both Clwyd North and Dyffryn Clwyd Community Health Councils.
Alice’s son, Mike, said: “All of her family (son Mike, daughter-in-law Georgina, grandson David and his wife Zoe, great-grandson George, niece Lynne) are extremely proud of her achievements.
“We were back there the next day (at Merton Place, on February 6) to drop some stuff off, and one of the nurses was saying they had a load of balloons for her, and a big box of chocolates, which she apparently hasn’t stopped eating!
“She got a birthday card from the Queen, which she was very happy with, too!"
Val Smith, activities coordinator at Merton Place, was also in attendance at Saturday’s party, having been friends with Alice long before she moved to the home.
Alice was chair of the Conwy branch of the Alzheimer’s Society when Val began working there in the early 2000s, before the two also worked together again at Bay of Colwyn Town Council.
Val followed in Alice’s footsteps when she also served as mayor of Colwyn Bay from 2014 to 2015, and told of what a great inspiration Alice is to her.
Val said: “When I was mayor of Colwyn Bay, she was really supportive and encouraging. I’ve always looked up to her.
“She said to me once: ‘What do you actually do for your community?’, and I had to have a little think, and said: ‘Not a lot’. So because she said that, I then became a parent governor at my children’s school.
“She’s an impressive woman, with lots of achievements in her lifetime.”
Councillor Brian Cossey (Welsh Lib Dems, Colwyn ward), also highlighted how helpful he found Alice to be during their time working together, both in assisting him and in serving the people of Colwyn Bay.
Cllr Cossey said: “I was first elected as a Lib Dem councillor in 1988, and she was the leader of my group (until Conwy County Borough Council was formed in 1996).
“We were a close-knit group of councillors; she was absolutely brilliant. She knew the way the council worked inside out, and was a great mentor.
“I’m still in touch now and again (with Alice); she was so involved in so many organisations within Colwyn Bay.
“She’s just a true lady, who cares about Colwyn Bay and the people who live in it. She dedicated her life as a councillor to helping the people of Colwyn Bay.”
Another former councillor who worked with Alice, Jim Barry, has known her since 1971, and also founded the NWHA with her in 1974.
Jim said: “She was an excellent councillor. She always won elections for her ward by a good way. She was very big in housing; I was a founding member of the NWHA and she was, as well.
“She’s a super person, full of energy, and an ideal person to be a councillor. Nothing was too much trouble for her; she did it for years.”
Joyce Hughes, who represented Colwyn Borough Council alongside Alice in the 1980s and 1990s, also wished a happy 100th birthday to a “remarkable” woman.
Joyce said: “Some time after arriving in Old Colwyn, I went to a Liberal meeting,
“Shortly afterwards, a lady arrived at my door and introduced herself as Alice Robinson, a local councillor. She asked if I would consider standing for the local council.
“Alice was enormously supportive both in canvassing and then guiding me when I was elected. She worked tirelessly to help the residents in her ward.
“After leaving the council, Alice again persuaded me to join NWHA. Alice and I shared a passion that people of all income levels should have safe, secure, good quality houses. Alice had been instrumental in setting up NWHA.
"Alice also championed the Prince of Wales Theatre and was a great supporter of the summer drama festivals. She fought to keep and update the theatre, which is now the much-loved Theatr Colwyn.
“She is a remarkable woman who has given so much to Colwyn Bay.”
Baroness Christine Humphreys, a Welsh Lib Dems peer and leader of the party's group in the House of Lords, described Alice as a “true liberal”.
Baroness Humphreys said: “Alice has been the biggest influence in my political life.
“When I became a member of Colwyn Borough Council in the 1980s, Alice was already the group leader and she led by example.
“Always organised, always confident in her decision-making, she was a role model to the younger councillors she led, and her honesty and compassion always shone through.
“Her greatest quality was her fearlessness - in the days when women political leaders were rare, she stood her ground and commanded respect wherever she went and whatever she did.
“She is a true liberal. Whenever there were difficult decisions to be made, she understood the dilemma of the ward councillor and came up with a liberal solution – ‘you take the right decision for your ward residents and the rest of us will take the right decision for the council’.”
Cllr Chris Hughes (Welsh Labour, Glyn ward), knew Alice from their time at Bay of Colwyn Town Council, and recalls the many debates and discussions he would share with her.
Cllr Hughes said: “Alice is a lovely lady and could also be a fierce debater, and was a stickler for the rules of debate - I remember, more than once, councillors being shouted at and not standing at full council when addressing the mayor!
“Alice served three terms on the town council between 1995 and 2008, and prior to that, was a member of Colwyn Borough Council.
“After deciding not to run for election in 2008, Alice remained active in the community but as her eyesight failed, she could no longer drive, so I would pick her up and take her to meetings of the organisations we were both members; we had some very interesting discussions.”
Cllr Paul Richards, a Labour and Co-operative Party representative of Bay of Colwyn Town Council’s Glyn ward, added: “I once got on the wrong side with Alice. The put down was superb. I really knew my place!
“Then, we became pals. She always supported good ideas; she served Colwyn Bay with style.”
Cllr Abdul Khan, chair of Conwy County Borough Council (Plaid Cymru, Glyn ward), also crossed paths with Alice while serving at Bay of Colwyn Town Council.
Cllr Khan said: “I had the pleasure in serving with Alice on Bay of Colwyn Town Council until she retired back in 2008.
“She was one of the senior councillors, with a valuable wealth of knowledge in the running of the local authority.
“She did a sterling work serving her community and was not afraid of standing up for what she believed in. It’s my pleasure in wishing her a very happy 100th birthday.”
Numerous people who knew Alice from her work with Conwy Voluntary Services Council (CVSC – now Community and Voluntary Support Conwy) also paid tribute to her on her 100th birthday.
Wendy Jones, chief executive of CVSC, said: “Alice served as a trustee from August 2001 until October 2018, and was the chair for at least six of those years.
“I have been involved in CVSC since 1999, and I remember Alice well, always supportive of the work of CVSC, and always willing to assist where she could.”
Mary Trinder, chair of CVSC, added: “I first met Alice in 1998 when she was caring for her husband. She was a trustee of the organisation I worked for, Carers Outreach.
“From the offset, she came across as a dynamic lady and, despite her own problems, was fully committed to her many volunteering roles.
“She persuaded me to stand for election to CVSC and eventually many other organisations including The Community Health Council. If she believed in you, she gave you 100 per cent backing.
“I learnt a lot from Alice and could always rely on her for very sound advice.”
Jan Smith, deputy chief officer of CVSC, said: “Alice was on my interview panel in August 1997. At that time, she was very dynamic.
“She was quite a formidable character, really, when on a mission on some point of principle – she was a firm believer in good housing, and that poor housing led to so many terrible implications for families.
“She was on so many committees, and indeed was chair of the Joint Consultative Committee, and part of my role was to support her in this.
“One distinct and early memory was of her on a top table at a committee, and her presence just shone out above and beyond the others.”
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