Byline: NO BYLINE

Fred Edwards, a former social work director, noted ecologist and public servant has died aged 77.

Born in Liverpool in 1931, Mr Edwards grew up in the city's Norris Green council estate and after leaving school spent ten years in the Merchant Navy.

In 1957 he was chosen as one of 33 crew tasked with sailing an exact replica of the Mayflower across the Atlantic.

He decided to change career in 1960, becoming a probation officer in Liverpool. He moved to Scotland to take up the post of director of social work for Moray and Nairn in 1969, later moving to Grampian region. He took over at Strathclyde in 1976, where he remained as director for 16 years, retiring in 1992.

book printing

During the 1970s and 80s he was the driving force at the head of his huge department, and was highly successful in "growing" social work in Strathclyde, increasing the range, depth and professionalism of services offered by his department.

He brought about significant changes to childcare in the area, and took pride in his "urban guerrillas", the welfare-rights and community-development workers who encouraged local people to challenge the system.

He was best known to the public for his part in the 1984-85 miners strike, when he authorised GBP 191,000 in loans to single miners on grounds of destitution and hardship.

The loans were later ruled illegal and the Government tried to hold him personally liable for the money, only relenting after a long public campaign.

He was appointed visiting professor of social policy and social work at Glasgow University in 1986, and in 1989 he and second wife Mary moved to Nine Mile Burn in Penicuik, Midlothian, where they quickly became well-known and respected members of the community.

cheap coach purses

Mr Edwards was appointed an elder at the local church, and was also very active in the Edinburgh Rotary Society, which he convinced to back a water purification and female literacy project established by himself and his wife in Cambodia in 2002, which continues to benefit many hundreds of people.

After his retirement, he gained a qualification in ecology, and was very interested in environmental issues such as global warming.

Among many other commitments he chaired LINK, the forum for Scotland's voluntary environmental organisations, until 2007.

In 2005, Mr Edwards developed myeloma, an illness he faced with acceptance and humour right up to his death on October 18.

Edinburgh MP George Foulkes, who worked with Mr Edwards, paid tribute to him, saying: "Only a few weeks ago, when I was visiting the cancer care unit at the Western General, I was astonished to be greeted by Fred, in the middle makeup brush of a chemotherapy session, and still smiling, having travelled there by bus.

"He was an inspiration to many, including me, for his unselfish, dedicated, caring and optimistic approach to everything he encountered."

He is survived by his second wife, Mary, and by his sons, David and Mark, his daughter, Susan, and his step-sons, Niall, David and Duncan.

Other articles:
http://www.taiandaily.com/Xinhua-home-news-advisory--J.html
http://www.eyts.cn/bbs/Blog.asp?BlogUserName=mywatche&menu=ShowBlog&BlogID=476