Adrian Randall

June 25, 2021, 11:38 am , by Newsroom

Richard Lutz pays tribute to a friend and neighbour

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Adrian Randall, who has died aged 73, was a bolt of undiluted energy. He never stopped, whether fighting for the rights of the marginalised, cycling the length of Britain or tirelessly raising funds for charities. He was pure forward motion.

He was born in the Kent town of Farnborough, one of six children to Dr Keith Randall and his wife Helen (nee Pullan). Adrian attended Sevenoaks School and had family connections with the sea, traced back to the The Battle of Trafalgar.  Maybe because of this link, he went to Dartmouth Naval College where he trained in electrical engineering.

But as a young midshipsman, he refused to serve on a nuclear submarine due to his anti nuclear principles, faced a court martial and, following discharge, attended The University of Essex to study sociology. This was followed by a masters in social work at The University  of Warwick.

Adrian’s life was dedicated to addressing inequalities in Britain and, following a trip driving his campervan to India, he worked in London and then Birmingham where he rose to become lead officer for asylum seekers and refugees. In addition, Adrian also oversaw the birth of the  city’s Refugee Resource Centre and was ja major force in Birmingham emerging as a City of Sanctuary.  ‘His socialism drove him.’ his partner Sue Wainwright said.

Adrian left the city council in 2011 after refusing to compromise against reactionary forces who didn’t want refugees being offered public housing. He changed careers and, at 63, began work for The Department for Work and Pensions helping the long term unemployed. He once again dug in his heels when he  ignored government policy and refused to authorise  benefit sanctions against those he had been trying to help. Despite this stand-off, he stayed at the DWP for nine years until his death.

Outside of work, Adrian brimmed with energy. At 40, he broke 3 hours in a marathon. At 50, he took up skiing and rollerblading. At 60, he cycled from Lands End to John O’ Groats. At 70, he cycled with one of his daughters from London to Edinburgh. He was planning another long distance adventure when he fell ill with cancer.

On top of all this, he tirelessly raised cash for three charities; played either moaning grannies or dastardly villains in a series of hilarious amdram melodramas; was a perpetual motion gardener (sometimes at night by headlamp) while wailing out numbers by The Who (many times off key- I should know, I was his neighbour) and, endearingly, never felt as much joy as when camping and bodyboarding with his family.

He leaves his children- Anna, Laura and Ruth- and  Sue, an academic at The University of Birmingham. And he also leaves a large hole in the fabric of his adopted city and the world of social work.

Born:   7th January 1948

Died:   10th April, 2021