Ian Jury and granddaughter Chrystine Jury who is so proud of her granddad.
Ian Jury and granddaughter Chrystine Jury who is so proud of her granddad.
The Country looks back at some of the biggest and best stories of the past 12 months, including readers' favourites, news events and those yarns that gave us a glimpse into rural lives and livelihoods across the country.
Originally published September 23.
Ian Jury is a man ona mission. The 85-year-old “has always been one to help”, whether friends, family, strangers or the wider community. Kem Ormond finds out more.
Ian Jury is, in so many ways, a rural man at heart.
He has been a butcher, a firewood merchant and even raised chickens, to sell the eggs.
He is a long-time supporter of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, and he is after the unwanted batteries from your tractor, car, or motorbike; in fact, any vehicle battery.
Residents are used to seeing the back of his ute full of batteries to be recycled. He is definitely a man with a mission.
He has been doing this for over 20 years and at 85, he doesn’t look as if he is going to stop any time soon.
Raising funds by collecting unused and unwanted batteries and selling them to a recycling facility has not only made sure batteries aren’t left lying around, but it has also meant that since 2004 he has donated a huge $47,456.00 to the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter.
Chrystine Jury is Ian’s granddaughter.
She says her grandfather has always been one to help others, not just his family, but “strangers and his community”.
Ian Jury's WANTED sign! He is so grateful to the community who drop off their dead batteries for him to sell and fundraise.
Being a nurse herself, she knows the importance of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter to both the hospital and the community, and she feels proud of him.
In previous years, he has grown vegetables, donated them to the hospice and even bartered with them for old batteries.
Nowadays, with the vegetable garden getting a bit big for him, he just grows pumpkins and trades them for old batteries.
Ian Jury has raised over $47,456.00 for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter from the sale of unused batteries he collects and recycles.
Jury has always been driven to help his community.
“It just makes you feel good.”
Jury is so grateful to the recycling yards, farmers and even a vegetable grower who are always available to help in so many ways; especially when it comes to loading some of those big heavy batteries.
When not collecting batteries, he is often tending to his chickens and his few sheep, including the odd lamb.
He can also be found head down in the garden, or umpiring bowls, assisting the marching team in the summer with odd jobs, playing cards at the local hall or doing a small job to help the rest home.
This is one busy man who may not have heard of the word “retirement”.
So, if you are passing through Brixton (Between Waitara and Bell Block) in Taranaki, look out for the large battery sign on Jury’s fence and drop off any of your unwanted batteries, so he can continue his fundraising.
We all need a few more Ian Jurys in our community.
