Roger Deakin

Roger Deakin 1943 - 2006

"It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of our co-founder Roger Deakin. In April this year he discovered he had a brain tumour, and had been undergoing treatment.

"Roger founded Common Ground with Sue Clifford and Angela King in 1982/3. We had met at different times working as we all had for Friends of the Earth through the 1970’s – Angela had been their first wildlife campaigner, Sue was on the board of directors and Roger had acted as consultant helping with promotional and fundraising events – one of the most memorable of which involved some of the Monty Python gang exhorting us to ‘Save the Krill’.

"Roger could turn his hands to anything. At last he found himself a writer, but he had taught English in school, been a copywriter, made films, organised local festivals, put on concerts for the Aldeburgh Foundation at Snape Maltings, made furniture, rebuilt timber house and barn and looked after his smallholding. He was a regular contributor to newspapers, magazines and radio and had been a director of Eastern Arts, Suffolk Dance and the Gogmagogs. He loved literature, music, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, farming, cooking, watching wild life, travelling and giving time to his family and friends. His great forte was friendship and compassion – he loved people and they loved him.

"He also cared passionately about his patch in Suffolk, campaigning relentlessly to save Cow Pasture Lane and Mellis Common from harm. He managed his few fields and woodland in traditional ways, conserving plants and animals that were there, gently coaxing back some that had fled. Everything he took on was undertaken with enthusiasm, care and thoroughness."

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch

• George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust