Bevan Bain. Photo supplied.Bevan Bain, March 4, 1939 – January 23, 2019

The Ashburton District lost a true supporter of the community with the death last month of Bevan Bain.

He arrived in Ashburton in 1974, taking up a position as Ashburton College’s guidance councillor and quickly became part of the community, through his students, through sport and for many years as a member and later as chairman of the Ashburton Trust.

For Bevan there was no such thing as just taking part.

Whatever he did he did with total commitment.

During his years at Ashburton College Bevan touched the lives of thousands of students, both through his guidance counselling role and through sport.

His interest in those students didn’t stop when they left school, however, as he liked nothing more than watching their progression in their careers, on the sports field and later as parents.

He brought his love of rugby with him to the college and was quickly appointed master of rugby, a role he held until 1996 taking on whatever jobs were needed – administration, coaching and instigating a number of 1st XV trips to Australia.

His involvement in secondary school rugby stretched well beyond the college, and Bevan was appointed to the Southern Regional Schools’ Rugby Council where he served as secretary and then chairman. He was also deputy chair and president of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Rugby Union, travelling with the secondary schools’ team to the United Kingdom.

Bevan’s absolute passion was for secondary school rugby and he was on the NZRFU junior advisory board and in addition to his rugby positions with the college, he was involved with South Island under-16 and New Zealand school teams as well as a number of under-16 and under-18 tournaments.

That love of rugby also extended across the Ashburton District and he was chairman of the Mid Canterbury Rugby Union from 1979 until 1985. During his time with the union Mid Canterbury rugby was at its playing peak.

Where many people will remember Bevan best is through the Ashburton Trust.

He served the community as a trust board member and also did several terms as its chairman over 28 years.

He led the trust during some of its most profitable years and was also at the helm when it was challenged, on three occasions by the community wanting to end its monopoly on alcohol sales in its area.

The third attempt was successful, something that disappointed Bevan who believed in the trust philosophy of giving back to its community.

In addition to his rugby and trust commitments, he was a committee member on the Ashburton Trotting Club board for eight years, was a member of the Ashburton Lions Club, convened the appeal for a new St John Ambulance, raising a significant amount of money, did time as the mayor’s representative on Sport Canterbury/Westland and for many years was master of ceremonies for the Mid Canterbury Sports Personality of the Year Awards.

As a player, Bevan’s chosen sport was golf and he joined the Ashburton Golf Club in 1976

In 2008 Bevan was presented with the prestigious Robilliard Trophy for Outstanding Service to sport for his years of involvement with Mid Canterbury rugby.

Following the death of a grandson to cancer, Bevan threw his support behind the Relay for Life, and with a strong committee behind him helped raise $132,000.

Over 44 years he made huge contributions on many fronts to life in the Ashburton District and maintained an interest in its people and events until his death.

Bevan is survived by his wife Julie and children Mark and Justine and his two grand children.

 By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 16 February 2019