We are very sad to inform you that our dear friend and former colleague Roger Hitchings (1948-2024) passed away on Monday 25th November after a short illness. He was surrounded by his family and “was peaceful, loved and smiling as he slipped away with dignity.”
Roger retired from the Organic Research Centre in 2013. Read: Farewell but not goodbye to the retiring Roger Hitchings
Mark Measures said:
“Roger was such an outstanding person, good humoured and deeply principled, uniquely knowledgeable and inspirational to so many. I first met Roger in 1996 as we were building up the Organic Advisory Service (OAS) team at The Organic Research Centre in response to the new Organic Conversion Information Service contract with Defra; it was one of those occasions when the detail of the meeting remains with me, for no particular reason except that I knew I had met a remarkable person. We took him on immediately, firstly part time and then he joined full time, taking over from me as head of the OAS when I left in 2000. OCIS continued until 2011 by which time something like 10,000 farms had been advised and Roger had personally done over 800 visits. He achieved much and influenced many in all sorts of ways. He will be sorely missed.”
Roger was recognised by the Organic Growers Alliance in 2013 with an award “for recognition of all your efforts helping others to grow.” This referred not only to his advisory work but also to his work with the Charles Wacher Trust and the Soil Association Apprenticeship scheme, later ‘Future Growers.’ His contribution to the organic movement and organic horticulture in particular, was immense. He was always there, good humoured and reliable, immensely knowledgeable and wise. We will miss him.
We are send our sincerest sympathies to Susie, Joby, Bryony & Cai.
View photo album of Roger Hitchings, collected for his retirement from the Organic Research Centre here
