Selwyn Times: January 22, 2020

SELWYN TIMES Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Wednesday January 22 2020 9
Our People
Bruce Russell
No plans to cut back on community work
Bruce Russell’s
contribution to community
organisations in
Canterbury has spanned
more than 50 years. The
78-year-old West Melton
resident talks to Devon
Bolger about his love of
farming and passion for
giving back
How did it feel being named
as a Queen’s Service Medal
recipient on the recent New
Year Honours List?
I was very surprised. It was a
great honour but as I said at the
time, I didn’t do the community
work for any recognition.
What are some of your most
proud achievements?
I suppose it would be the new
hall, well at least that was the
climax of all the work I’ve done.
After the earthquake, the West
Melton hall was badly damaged.
I called a number of public meetings
here and we decided the
appropriate thing would be to go
to the council and see if we could
build a community and recreation
centre and we basically did
just that. I get a lot of feedback
from people who hire it that its
one of the best buildings they
have been to which is quite nice
to hear. I’ve enjoyed working for
and with the community. One
person cannot achieve these
goals, they have to have the
support of people around them.
These things I’ve helped with
weren’t my ideas or anything but
I was able to gain that support
I guess and get them done. I’m
also proud of my work with the
Selwyn Central Community
Board here, which has been abolished
now. I chaired that and was
on it for about 12 years.
What community work are
you still involved in?
I am still on the reserve committee,
residents association and
I’m still on a number of other
committees. I’m there purely to
offer any valuable information
LEGACY: West
Melton’s Bruce
Russell with
pet Archie. Mr
Russell has
been involved
in community
organisations
for more than
50 years.
PHOTO:
GEOFF SLOAN ​
that I can. I believe the future
lies with the younger people and
we have to take notice of that. If
we can generate some interest
for them in these things then
well they will designate what the
future holds. I was appointed
a JP in about 2012 which was
a great honour and then I was
asked if I’d like to be a marriage
celebrant which I now am. I really
enjoy the work I do in those
roles. It’s just something else I
can do to give back to the community.
How started your lifelong
interest in farming?
I took over the family farm
when I finished schooling which
was in about 1959. I went to
Lincoln University in 1961 and
did a certificate in agriculture.
After that, I came back and
farmed in partnership with my
father. Then in about 1965 I
took over the farm and I bought
out my brother. I bought his
place and then a couple of the
neighbours’ and we finished up
with about 500 acres. We ran
dairy cows, pigs, sheep, cropping
and a contracting business from
there. Eventually, I sold the farm
in about the 1980s and moved
into Christchurch. When I was
farming I was on a number of
committees; I chaired one of
the local dairy companies, I was
very tied up with A&P work
and both the Ellesmere and
Canterbury shows. I also was
very involved in setting up vet
clubs throughout New Zealand.
I was chairman of the veterinary
services council which sort of
set up and help run veterinary
practices across the country.
•Turn to page 10
TRILLO METALS MUSCLE
CAR MADNESS NO 30
Thirty years is a remarkable achievement
for any event, even in a marriage these
days it would be a very good result. Trillo
metals Muscle Car Madness has turned
into a car culture event and part of the
reason is that the Rangiora showgrounds
has become the perfect spot for it. A
supportive small town basically “bang
smack” in the middle of the South Island
gives easy access to all. In just a few short
years the show became the largest car show
in the South Island and ranks in the top
three of New Zealand.
Events have come and gone trying to
better this show but each year more and
more people come from all over the world.
The furthest entrant this year comes from
Arkansas. Entrants just love staying on site
and enjoy their late-night fun. This year
nearly 1,000 cars are entered for the event
with at least 800 more cars turning up as
day visitors. Due to high demand the show
will open from 9.00 a.m till 4.30 pm. The
Sean Williams is driving his top show roadster
down all the way from Auckland, featured in the
current N.Z.Hot Rod magazine.
Ian Neary’s Viper V10 powered GTX “Eruption”
is said to be valued at over $700,000 and will
be display on the Mothers polishes stand. It is a
world class show car.
arena will fill up quickly and will be only
available to twenty year and older cars. All
others and overflow of show cars enter gate
2. Free parking at gate 3.
An anniversary cruise will do 2 laps of
Rangiora’s main street then down Lineside
road and through Kaiapoi on Thursday
night. It will hit Rangiora’s High Street
just before 7pm and Kaiapoi about 7.20
p.m. The Rockabilly pageant takes place
Saturday at 12 noon, and burnouts will
start a bit later at 1.30 pm. Sunday sees the
burnout finals.
Top cars will be in abundance including
Ian Naery’s GTX ‘Eruption’ powered by a
Viper V10 engine and rumoured to be worth
nearly 3/4 million dollars. As usual there is a
great array of retro clothing, event t shirts,
market stalls, kids rides and ten live bands
including the return of Hillbilly Hellcats
from Colorado, and Flyin’ Saucers from
Melbourne. cost is $20 each, kids under 16
free and 2-day pass for public hours only,
available at the gate on Saturday. Come and
have a great day out, you won’t regret it.