PIMA BULLETIN NO 47 APRIL 2023
Gardener's Corner ~ 10
From Colin Mc Gregor
New Zealand/Aotearoa
bcolinmcg01@gmail.com
In this COVID age you can work with someone without ever actually meeting them in person. My interactions with Chris Duke have been solely through the medium of Zoom. As a newbie to PIMA Chris inducted me into different ways of viewing the world. What I have valued is his concern and awareness of the issues facing the world and, more importantly, his focus on identifying ways and means of addressing the issues. His focus is on taking action through building communities of interest and sharing what works. He has spurred me into action which I am thankful for.
From Rob Mark
Ireland
rob-mark@glasgow.ac.uk
Hello Chris
We first met just before you went off to Australia when you welcomed me to my first SCUTREA conference in Canterbury. You were in Warwick University then (around 1994). I was immediately struck by your sharp mind and your ability to speak out clearly and with passion. As a young educator it was important for me to experience these kinds of qualities in action. We continued to meet later off and on in various parts of Europe, (we spent a memorable journey together from Pecs to Budapest). I always felt I had known you much longer than I really had! I often found myself speaking my mind too on issues in lifelong learning and on Northern Ireland where I hail from and rarely speak about - I have always felt you were someone worth passing time with and wish you and your family, (which you often spoke of), well; how lucky to have passed so little time so richly. As always, Carpe Diem!
From Peter Welsh
United Kingdom
Peter_Welsh@ipsos.com
“Well young man, you’ve got your work cut out here!” This was the first thing I clearly recall Chris saying directly to me. It set the tone for our working friendship that followed. I met Chris in 2004 when I had just taken on a new role of Head of Research and Intelligence at Kent County Council in the UK. I had been asked to be the council’s link person with an odd thing they referred to as PASCAL. Twenty years later, after meeting up with him in some wonderful locations around the globe as well as my own home, Chris’ passion to take on important challenges and do good within our communities is alive and well in the work of PIMA and PASCAL. Importantly for me, Chris was the person who gave the younger me the confidence to rattle cages and grasp nettles wherever I feel it’s needed, not least with him! Thank you, Chris, you’ve played no small part in where I am today.