‘I’m only 68’: Neville Carter on service, memories and a medal

Saturday, 30 December 2023

Neville Carter has been a member and servant of Southbridge Rugby Club since he was 5 - more than 60 years.

According to Neville Carter, his Queen’s Service Medal should have gone to another guy.

But with over 50 years in the fire service, a membership of the Southbridge Rugby Club since he was 5, and 12 hours spent rescuing people after the Christchurch earthquake behind him, one might argue otherwise.

Carter - father of All Blacks legend Dan Carter - has spent 50 years as a volunteer firefighter, and has been given the Queen's Service Medal in the New Year honours.

Carter, who has been awarded the medal in the New Year’s honours in recognition of his services to the Southbridge Volunteer Fire Brigade and Southbridge rugby club, said he was “humbled” to get the letter in the mail with the news.

Working as a builder, in his younger years he would often “drop his tool belt and go for it” whenever there was a fire call-out. He has attended three-quarters of the brigade’s calls since 1973.

Being dispatched to central Christchurch after the February 2011 earthquake was his most vivid memory, he said.

Dan Carter received a blazer from his dad in July 2020 as he becomes a honorary life member of the Southbridge Rugby Club.

Carter arrived at the scene with fellow crew members at 1.45pm, less than an hour after the earthquake struck. He stayed until the following morning.

“I suppose you’d call it rewarding but also very stressful. Something I thought I’d never see in my firefighting days of 51 years.”

Carter hands out sandwiches at the 2020 Ellesmere division one club final, Southbridge versus Waihora at Southbridge Rugby Football Club.

Among the highlights of his career are receiving his gold star for 25 years in the fire service, service he has since doubled, receiving his 50-year double gold star earlier this month.

On the rugby field his fondest memories mostly came from following his son, Dan Carter, in the All Blacks and Crusaders.

Carter in the room he has dedicated to his son, and his rugby career, one that has given him some of his fondest memories.

But he has had a lifetime’s worth of happiness from his association with Southbridge Rugby Club.

A member since he was 5, a committee member from the age of 18 and now the bar manager, he has been a staple of the club since 1976.

He has also coached every team at Southbridge, including the women's team for three years, which he said was “a thrill”.

Looking forward to what's next, Carter said he has no plans to slow down any time soon.

“I’m only 68 … you can’t retire, you need a purpose to get out of bed so I’m re-purposing my life at the moment and enjoying it.”

He has plenty of things on his bucket list, a fire service to look after and a bar to manage.

But for now he plans to go to somewhere near a beach, tell his family about his honour, and have a celebratory drink.

“I dare say we could celebrate New Year a wee bit special.”