One of our many heroes

Marty Sharpe at the Dom Post reports:

A 91-year-old special forces veteran has been told he has to stop carrying out solo night patrols on the streets of Waipawa.

John Bray used to drive around on volunteer community patrols with a companion, but decided to go solo after finding his sidekick, in his late 80s, kept falling asleep on duty.

Now he’s been told by the head of the local patrol that the national Community Patrol organisation does not want volunteers working alone, and Mr Bray can stay on the roster only if he finds a partner.

I am sure he will now have many offers.

For more than 10 years he has spent at least one night a month driving Waipawa’s streets, armed with a spotlight, fluorescent vest and a mobile phone, looking for suspicious behaviour.

He has no qualms about approaching people to ask them about their motives.

But he says he can understand the national body’s concerns for his safety. “I’m not getting my hackles up about it. I know their thinking. I mean, I know 70-year-olds who shouldn’t be driving a wheelbarrow, let alone a car.”

Heh a sense of humour also.

He keeps busy working from home doing saddlery and stitching work, and is also the caretaker of a block of retirement flats – whose residents are all his junior.

So much for taking it quiet when you are 90!