Tribute paid to ‘passionate’ councillor following his death

Tributes have been paid to a man who was Warminster^[1] Mayor not once, but twice during his time as a town councillor. Warminster Town Council has shared the news that Councillor Rob Fryer has died - with councillors and staff paying tribute to him.

Rob was first elected to the council in 2007 and was twice elected Mayor of the town during 2012-2013 and again between 2017-2018. A keen river swimmer and writer, Rob, of Portway, Warminster^[2], learned to swim in the River Cherwell while at school in Oxford.

He moved to Warminster in 1965, and soon started swimming at the Farleigh and District Swimming Club in the River Frome near Trowbridge. He has five children and ran a printing business in Warminster for 44 years.

He was proud to live in, and serve, the town. In 2018, he collected over £2,000 for charity during his year as Mayor - his chosen charities were the Wessex Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre and the Warminster Food Bank.

The current Mayor of Warminster^[5], Cllr Philip Keeble said: "Rob will be deeply missed. He had such enthusiasm and passion for Warminster and for getting things done. He was instrumental in securing the return of boat hire on the lake.

"He was mayor at the time of the first Spring in the Park and would make a special effort to attend any event in the park. He loved the return of bands to the bandstand and innovations like the splash pad."

He wrote Rob Fryer's Wild Swimming Europe which he described as the most comprehensive wild swimming guidebook ever, with 1,250 sites spread over the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and elsewhere. At 284 pages with 42 maps, the book provides ratings, locations and disabled access to swimming locations across Europe.

Mr Keeble added: "Rob had a mischievous sense of humour and would sometimes lob a comment in at meetings just to stir things up. Although a Conservative, he always viewed himself as a bit of a rebel. RIP Rob Fryer."

References

1. ^{^} Warminster (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Warminster (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Angry developer puts gargoyle of councillor on building amid furious planning dispute (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Prince Charles launches perfume inspired by the 'magnificent fragrance' of Highgrove Gardens (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)
5. ^{^} Warminster (www.wiltshirelive.co.uk)