Robin Kevan
Encyclopedia
Robin Kevan a retired social worker, is affectionately known as Rob the Rubbish in his home town of Llanwrtyd Wells
, Powys
, for voluntarily clearing litter
from the town's streets each day.
He has become famous throughout the United Kingdom
for his efforts to clean up the countryside, most notably on Ben Nevis
in Scotland
, Snowdon
in Wales
and Scafell Pike
in England
. It started with him quietly cleaning his own village of litter and went on from there. Slowly the media picked up on his efforts and he has been featured in numerous newspaper articles and TV and radio shows including the Richard & Judy
Show on Channel 4
, the BBC
's Countryfile
and the Jeremy Vine
Show.
On 4 September 2006, The Daily Telegraph
described Kevan as "the unlikely new hero of the environmental lobby". The Independent
stated in one of its leaders in 2005 that "Mr Kevan thus follows in the footsteps of others who have decided something must be done and done it. One thinks of Florence Nightingale
, Albert Schweitzer
, Bob Geldof
, Diana, Princess of Wales
...". At the end of 2005, Stephen Jardine
of the Edinburgh Evening News
stated that Robin Kevan was his choice for Man of the Year and concluded: "Britain needs more people like Rob the Rubbish who recognise enough is enough and are prepared to take responsibility for doing something about it." In October 2006 he was taken on a trek to Mount Everest
by Travel and Trek to clean up to the base camp of the world's highest mountain
. In 2007 he appeared on the BBC
's documentary series Mountain
presented by Griff Rhys Jones
in which it highlighted his work in cleaning up Mount Snowdon in Wales
. In the book which accompanied the series Griff Rhys Jones
said the following, "Rob proved to be an unnervingly delightful chap. He disliked litter so he had put on a day-glo jacket, taken up his claw stick and, like some medieval holy man, dedicated his life to wandering the wild places on behalf of us sinners. And he had a jacket for me too. It said, 'Griff the Garbage'".
Llanwrtyd Wells
Llanwrtyd Wells is a small town in the parish of Llanwrtyd in Powys, mid Wales, lying on the River Irfon.With a population of 601 people , it claims to be the smallest town in Britain, although Fordwich in Kent has a smaller population...
, Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, for voluntarily clearing litter
Litter
Litter consists of waste products such as containers, papers, wrappers or faeces which have been disposed of without consent. Litter can also be used as a verb...
from the town's streets each day.
He has become famous throughout the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for his efforts to clean up the countryside, most notably on Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Snowdon
Snowdon
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Scafell Pike
Scafell Pike
Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England at . It is located in Lake District National Park sometimes confused with the neighbouring Sca Fell, to which it is connected by the col of Mickledore...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It started with him quietly cleaning his own village of litter and went on from there. Slowly the media picked up on his efforts and he has been featured in numerous newspaper articles and TV and radio shows including the Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
Show on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Countryfile
Countryfile
Countryfile is a British magazine-style television programme produced by BBC Birmingham, first aired on 24th July 1988, which reports on rural and environmental issues within the United Kingdom. For its first 20 years it was fronted by broadcaster John Craven, until he stepped back from the role of...
and the Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Vine
Jeremy Guy Vine is a British author, journalist and news presenter for the BBC. He is known for his direct interview style and exclusive reporting from war-torn areas throughout Africa...
Show.
On 4 September 2006, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
described Kevan as "the unlikely new hero of the environmental lobby". The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
stated in one of its leaders in 2005 that "Mr Kevan thus follows in the footsteps of others who have decided something must be done and done it. One thinks of Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
, Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
, Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
, Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
...". At the end of 2005, Stephen Jardine
Stephen Jardine
Stephen Jardine is a Scottish journalist and presenter. He has worked for Scottish Television, GMTV and Radio Tay. He now runs Scotland's first dedicated food and drink communications consultancy, Taste Communications.-Early years:...
of the Edinburgh Evening News
Edinburgh Evening News
The Edinburgh Evening News is a local newspaper based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is published daily . It has a circulation of 68,000 and is owned by Johnston Press, which also owns The Scotsman and many regional titles throughout the UK.Much of the copy contained in the Evening News concerns local...
stated that Robin Kevan was his choice for Man of the Year and concluded: "Britain needs more people like Rob the Rubbish who recognise enough is enough and are prepared to take responsibility for doing something about it." In October 2006 he was taken on a trek to Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
by Travel and Trek to clean up to the base camp of the world's highest mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
. In 2007 he appeared on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's documentary series Mountain
Mountain (TV series)
Mountain is a British television series written and presented by Griff Rhys Jones that was originally broadcast 29 July–26 August 2007 on BBC One....
presented by Griff Rhys Jones
Griff Rhys Jones
Griffith "Griff" Rhys Jones is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, television presenter and personality. Jones came to national attention in the early 1980s for his work in the BBC television comedy sketch shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Mel Smith...
in which it highlighted his work in cleaning up Mount Snowdon in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. In the book which accompanied the series Griff Rhys Jones
Griff Rhys Jones
Griffith "Griff" Rhys Jones is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, television presenter and personality. Jones came to national attention in the early 1980s for his work in the BBC television comedy sketch shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Mel Smith...
said the following, "Rob proved to be an unnervingly delightful chap. He disliked litter so he had put on a day-glo jacket, taken up his claw stick and, like some medieval holy man, dedicated his life to wandering the wild places on behalf of us sinners. And he had a jacket for me too. It said, 'Griff the Garbage'".