Nick Robinson StB'75 awarded OBE

Former pupil and former St Bede’s Housemaster, Nick Robinson StB’75, has been awarded an OBE in The King’s Birthday Honours List 2025, recognising his exceptional service to disadvantaged young people, charitable fundraising and music.

Nick co-founded the charity Future Talent in 2004 alongside Katharine, Duchess of Kent to support gifted young musicians from low-income backgrounds, helping them overcome barriers to musical development and achieve their potential. Now in its 21st year, Future Talent provides tailored support to 130 young musicians annually.

Speaking about the honour, Nick said, “This award is not mine alone. I share it with Katharine, Duchess of Kent, without whose vision and passion Future Talent simply wouldn’t exist. It has been my privilege to work tirelessly over the last 20 years to nurture musical talent, and I’m deeply honoured and grateful to accept this OBE on behalf of everyone who’s been part of the journey so far – especially the remarkable young people at the heart of it.”

Nick also spoke about his time as a pupil at Worth; “I am greatly indebted to Fr Philip Gaisford for his major influence on my love of music as a teenager. I was just moving up from Junior House to St Bede’s at the age of 13 when he was appointed Director of Music. Fr Philip had a huge impact on the development of music at Worth, and I was so lucky to be in the School at that time. I was also the first Worth pupil of David Noyce who introduced me to the flute and got me from zero to grade 8 in under four years!

When I returned to Worth as Housemaster of St Bede’s in September 1986, I was delighted to see the house return to the top of the musical tree with our stomping success in the annual House Music Competition. Under the leadership of Head of House Alex Walker StB’87, his rendition of ‘Minnie The Moocher’ got the whole school cheering on its feet and secured our victory. After the competition, with celebrations taking place in St Bede’s late into the night, alumni of that era will remember the famous incident when I was in pursuit of a smoker (no names mentioned!) and ended up falling through the roof and landing on my feet in the long dormitory below, destroying a big section of the suspended ceiling and leaving some startled boys covered in dust…”

After leaving Worth, Nick went on to have a distinguished career in education, most notably as Headmaster of King’s College Choir School, Cambridge, for 19 years. He is now Chair of the children’s bereavement charity Sibling Support and a volunteer listener at The Listening Place in London, which offers vital face-to-face support for those in suicidal crisis. He also serves as Deputy Chair of Governors at Westminster Cathedral Choir School. A passionate advocate for the arts, Nick started his conducting career as a teenager and has founded two Community Orchestras to offer musical opportunities to young musicians. He continues to champion music education and performance in schools and beyond. 

We send him huge congratulations on his well deserved honour!