He was physical training instructor for the local Boys Brigade and later an executive member of the Taita Rugby Club.
He was the driving force behind the construction of a memorial wall in Taita Cemetery to house the ashes of returned servicemen and women.
He also led negotiations for the Lower Hutt RSA to purchase the land on Cornwall Street to build its new facilities.
He was the board chairman for thirteen years and raised funds to build a swimming pool and assembly hall for the school.
He was chairman of the Western Hutt electorate committee and was a friend of its MP, and Minister of Internal Affairs, Henry May.
When he addressed the massive crowd he described Simon Upton, the then minister of health, as "wonky in the head" if he failed to heed the extent of the opposition to the government's plan to centralise Wellington's specialist medical and surgical services.