It has been announced that actor, stage director, and dramatist Ron Pember has sadly died at the age of 87.
An respected actor of the stage and screen, who was best known for his supporting roles in shows including iconic British sitcom Only Fools and Horses, BBC drama Secret Army, and much-loved BBC comedy Red Dwarf, the death of the Essex-born actor Pember was announced on social media yesterday by his grandson, Paul Pember.
Born in Plaistow in 1934, Pember enjoyed a career stretching over thirty years, where he was a character actor in British television productions in the 1970s-1980s – usually in bit-parts, or as a support playing a worldly-wise everyman.
In a tweet confirming his sad passing, Pember’s grandson said: “The sadness now is the happiness then.
After making his TV debut in the early 1960s, as mentioned, one of Pember’s most recognisable roles was when he appeared in an episode of Only Fools and Horses in the 1980s, portraying Baz – the unenthusiastic Chairman of the Tenants’ Association.
He also stared as Belgian Resistance fighter Alain Muny in BBC drama Secret Army, which he played from 1977 to 1979.
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Other parts Pember played included TV series The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, legal drama Crown Court, The Dick Emery Show, and The Two Ronnies.
When it comes to his career on stage, Pember was known for co-writing the stage musical entitled Jack the Ripper (1974), about the Victorian murder spree in London in the late 1880s, which is still regularly produced by amateur theatre groups and companies around the globe to this day.
He also acted with the National Theatre Company from 1965 to 1968, as well as acting and directing plays at the Mermaid Theatre in London.
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Since the announcement of Pember’s passing, tributes have come flooding in on social media.
RIP Ron Pember. A terrific character actor, stage director and dramatist who made a memorable appearance in Series II’s Better Than Life.
The official Twitter account for Only Fools And Horses reposted the tribute and celebrated Ron’s life and incredible acting skills, adding: “We are saddened to hear of the news of the death of Ron Pember who played Baz in the series 3 episode, Homesick. Our thoughts and warm wishes go to his family and friends.”
Actor Danny John-Jules, who played the Cat in Red Dwarf, also paid tribute to Pember: “Just heard the sad news that Ron Pember has passed away. He was such a gentleman with us upstarts when he appeared on Red Dwarf He just rammed his tongue firmly into his cheek and joined the party – What a legend. RIP.”
Just heard the sad news that Ron Pember has passed away. (Tuesday) He was such a gentleman with us upstarts when he appeared on #RedDwarf He just rammed his tongue firmly into his cheek and joined the party! What a legend. RIP pic.twitter.com/8smNqbbUKW
The official Red Dwarf account also said: “RIP Ron Pember. A terrific character actor, stage director and dramatist who made a memorable appearance in Series II’s Better Than Life.”
Music theatre label Stage Door Records has too paid tribute on Twitter, writing: “We’re so very sad to learn that actor and composer Ron Pember has passed away.
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“It was such a joy to work with Ron and his wife Yvonne on the debut CD release of Ron’s musical ‘Jack the Ripper’, and we’ll always cherish those wonderful meetings we had together for the album.”
We're so very sad to learn that actor and composer Ron Pember has passed away.
It was such a joy to work with Ron and his wife Yvonne on the debut CD release of Ron's musical 'Jack the Ripper', and we'll always cherish those wonderful meetings we had together for the album. pic.twitter.com/sedOSYpt0e
Parklife pumps more than £155,000 back into Greater Manchester community projects
Danny Jones
Parklife is once again proving why it’s such an important event for Greater Manchester, not just in terms of music and culture, but through the money it pumps back into the community through grassroots projects.
The annual music festival at Heaton Park raises significant funds for local initiatives with each edition via the official Parklife Community Fund.
Partnered with the Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale councils, the finances generated through those who attend not only Parklife but also other concerts held at the outdoor venue, such as the recent Oasis shows, help local groups that make a positive, tangible difference in their neighbourhoods.
This year alone, the total includes £55,000 raised from guest list donations by festival attendees, as well as a further £100k generated from other events held in Heaton Park, making 2025 one of, if not the biggest, years for donations to date.
Distributed by the City Council and the local authorities in Bury and Rochdale throughout the respective boroughs, the aim is not only to give back but to enhance local life, through everything from important youth programmes to community wellbeing and improvement schemes.
Launched back in 2017, the festival fund is approaching nearly half a million pounds raised on behalf of local causes, strengthening its connection with the nearby communities surrounding its host site.
The region’s vast and stunning green space is a huge tourist attraction in itself, meaning literal grassroots causes like the woodland management group are vital to maintaining that beauty and status.
Other projects include an astronomy group, as well as fitness drives like ‘RockFit’ (seen above), which now meets at Heaton Park regularly to promote exercise for both physical and mental health.
It’s also worth noting that the fund covers surrounding areas like Higher Blackley and Crumpsall; Sedgley, Holyrood, St Mary’s and even South Middleton.
You can see more examples of the charitable community work in action down below.
Credit: Supplied
Sam Kandel, founder of Parklife Festival, said of the fund: “Parklife is proud to call Heaton Park home, and it’s really important to us that the festival has a lasting, positive impact on the local community.
“The Community Fund is our way of saying thank you to residents and supporting the brilliant grassroots projects that make Manchester, Bury, and Rochdale such special places to live.”
Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon (Exec Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods) added: “Parklife brings people from Manchester and beyond to our wonderful Heaton Park, and it is right that the communities living close by benefit from the event through reinvestment in local initiatives that will leave a legacy for all.
“The Parklife community fund means that local communities choose what’s important to them and they have the opportunity to bid for funds to invest in projects that enhance local amenities, strengthen community connections and wellbeing for the benefit of everyone.”
Those looking to benefit from the fund can apply online now and you can find out more information by contacting the relevant councils’ neighbourhood pages.
Work finally begins on Greater Manchester’s new ‘innovation hub’ in Atom Valley creating 20,000 jobs
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… work has finally begun on the first major development in Atom Valley.
If you’re not familiar with Atom Valley, this new project is set to be a unique innovation ‘cluster’ – plans of which were approved by local leaders all the way back in summer 2022 – with the potential to create up to 20,000 new jobs in Greater Manchester once it’s complete.
Greater Manchester wants Atom Valley to become a ‘springboard’ for new and emerging companies and researchers, giving them the support and the opportunities they need to trial and commercialise their innovations right here in our region.
The new development which ground has now been broken on is a Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) – which is set to become a thriving hub of innovation.
Today is a big day for GM.
We break ground on a new research centre at Atom Valley – our emerging world-class cluster in advanced materials and manufacturing.
Here, start-ups and emerging companies will be able to pioneer new technologies and scale up their ambitions, all while creating jobs and driving growth across the region in the process.
Located next to the Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale, it will offer 30,000 sq ft of new laboratory space, workshops, and design studios, as well as a lecture theatre, meeting rooms, office space, and flexible workspace for start-ups.
With the ‘right’ support, local leaders say the SMMC will also be a vital link between Atom Valley and the Oxford Road Corridor, ultimately forging a pathway for new companies and projects to expand from the city centre out into the wider city region.
Work has finally begun on Greater Manchester’s new ‘innovation hub’ in Atom Valley / Credit: DLA Architecture
Mayor Andy Burnham says this is the ‘most ambitious development’ in Atom Valley so far
“It will help unleash the untapped potential of the world-leading research taking place across our city region, bridging that crucial gap from invention to bringing those new innovations to the market,” he explained. “And it will create a new hi-tech corridor from the out to the north of Greater Manchester, creating jobs and new opportunities for start-ups to scale up their ambitions.
“This is integrated, well-connected development in action, and a clear sign of our mission to spread the benefits of growth right across our city region.”
Emily Sergeant -
11th March 2022 
