SNN_December_2023

NEW ZEALAND SPINAL TRUST 8
for maintenance the next day? Would I what!! Such was the
thoughtfulness and kindness of a man who dispensed his
largesse to many across many spheres of life.
You see when Tim married Prue, the connection grew
further for I had grown up with the Hazledines in Dunedin.
Decades later, in the new millennium, Annie and I, and
brother-in-law Jeff Sinnott, pioneered Ostler, a wine
business in the Waitaki valley, North Otago. In this sparsely
populated region vineyard labour was hard to come by. So,
friends and family were inveigled into grape harvest, an
unsustainable model. In 2009 we turned the volunteer
army into fundraisers for the NZ Spinal Trust and for nine
years donated to this worthy cause on the basis of the hard
labour so willingly provided. It wasn’t long before Tim,
Patron of the Spinal Trust, heard about this and 15 years
after his last accident, turned up himself to help.
I believe it was over five harvests that Tim came for a
day’s work, and usually stayed the night where he
thoroughly enjoyed the company of the various NZST
staff around the dinner table. Sometimes he was with one
of his nurses, sometimes with Prue.
Regardless, Tim would arrive, stand out of the side of the
car, empty his leg bag, then settle into his wheelchair and
get straight into snipping grapes. At lunch his
motivational speeches were delivered in his inimitable
style! It made it easy to ask for vineyard volunteers with
Sir Tim’s involvement.
Tim and Prue’s influence in my life has been profound. In
fact, Prue had given Annie the third degree in the early
stages of our romance when invited to join Prue for coffee
after one of Tim’s early morning swim sessions. At the
time Anne was working with Alan Clarke up at the BSU
— Jim Jerram
Tim and Prue’s influence in
my life has been profound.
and, in midst of her Masters thesis project concerned with
shoulder problems and wheelchair use, had undertaken a
locum holiday job during the summer of 1996. A relevant
topic for Tim as it turned out, but our budding romance
was of far greater interest to Prue!
Regardless the connection to the Spinal Trust was
fortified and once again Tim and Prue’s generosity and
hospitality was front and centre. At the opening of the
Allan Bean Centre (ABC) we recall Tim’s clear directive to
Alan Clarke to specifically name the research office for
him, no doubt linked to a most generous donation. He
said rather loudly, “That can be your office Annie”.
We can only imagine how many, literally, thousands of
people around the world were at one time or another in a
similar situation and can say the same of Tim’s vision. His
positivity was infectious; he was indeed the greatest
motivator and inspiration to so many. Our visits to
Wanaka always included his expansive reflections on the
important work of the NZST, in particular the Connecting
People (Peer and Whānau Support) programme which
Tim saw as a no brainer. Tim knew firsthand the
importance of support, support and support. Arohanui
dear generous man and thank you.
MILESTONE—Sir Tim and investigative journalist Melanie Reid at his book launch in front of his cherished Mk XVI Spitfire.