'She was my partner in crime': Chch community champion's heartfelt thank you to wife

Otago Daily Times

05-06-2025

Jim Lilley. PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN
Jim Lilley has lived one very busy life.
The Christchurch RSA president has been a police officer, co-established Marine Watch and was a long-time Coastguard Canterbury volunteer. He also fundraises for the Cancer Society and trains bus drivers.
And he credits one person – his late wife Cath (above).
'I couldn't have done half of what I've done without her support,' he said.
Cath passed away in 2008 aged 44, following an eight-month battle with breast cancer.
'She was my partner in crime for a lot of the stuff I did,' Lilley said.
Lilley's work in the community was recognised at the weekend in the King's Birthday honours list.
The 72-year-old was inducted as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to conservation and the community.
Lilley was surprised and humbled – and said a large part of the award is for Cath.
'It's the whanau that supports the person. It's as much theirs as it is the person that's done it,' he said.
He and Cath were together for 16 years. They got married the day before she died.
'We had both come out of less than pleasant marriages and we always said we're not going down that path again, but it was the one thing Cath wanted.
'Think of any emotion you can and it was probably there,' Lilley said.
After Cath died, Lilley was an 'emotional wreck'. He turned to community service.
'I made a promise to Cath I would spend a chunk of my life working to improve the lives of people with cancer,' he said.
In 2010, he heard about the Tranz Alpine Scooter Safari, a biennial charity ride from Christchurch to Hokitika on 50cc scooters.
The trip is made by up to 250 people annually and has raised $2.2 million for Cancer Society Canterbury-West Coast to date.
Lilley has taken part in every ride since and has won best scooter multiple times.
Photo: Supplied
He changes the scooter design every time and has big plans for next year's event.
'It's a day of complete and utter lunacy, but the underlying thing is deadly serious.
'Half the way over there, I'm crying because I can feel Cath on my shoulder,' he said.
Lilley grew up on a farm in Kaikōura, which shaped his passion for wildlife conservation.
'That environment (your upbringing) is where you develop the values that you live by,' he said.
Lilley left Kaikōura when he was 18 to join the army. He completed the basic training, but was also interested in joining the police.
He applied for both and was snapped up first by the police.
After four years as a traffic cop in Nelson, he was diagnosed with cancer at 18.
It was not treatable in Nelson, so he moved to Christchurch for treatment and to recover.
Lilley also went through another round of cancer at 32.
Incidents of animal harm in Kaikōura prompted Lilley and two friends to establish Marine Watch in 1992, which assisted the Department of Conservation with wildlife incidents.
He led groups of volunteers to rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife, including dolphins, seals, whales and seabirds.
Lilley was personally involved in the rescue of more than 10,000 stranded whales.
'When you look at the weather forecast and look at climate change, there's an imperative to this work. That's why I was trying to send a message that every animal matters,' he said.
The organisation started with three, but grew to a group of about 500 volunteers.
A whale rescue once required Lilley to go to Port Levy. He asked Coastguard Canterbury to take him and the crew there.
The rescue was successful, but afterwards Lilley realised he had never thanked the Coastguard for its help. He went back a few days later – and ended up volunteering for the next 21 years.
He took on a variety of roles, including training officer, skipper, and communications officer.
Over the years, Lilley participated in the rescue of more than 500 people.
Jim and Cath Lilley on the Rialto Bridge while holidaying in Venice in 2007. After 16 years together, they married in 2008, one day before Cath died. Photo: Supplied
That included the 2000 storm that ruined the Lyttelton marina.
'A storm came through and totally destroyed (the marina), somewhere in the vicinity of 60 vessels got sunk and we spent the next 10 days salvaging what we could,' he said.