Robert Giltrap was humble, hard-working and a real collector.
He had a soft spot for a good clearing sale and, when his family questioned his purchases, would simply say with a smile, “It will come in handy one day.”
He was also a loyal supporter of the rescue helicopters, giving regularly to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust.
“A lot of people would see dad as being very careful with his money, but they never saw how much he donated to charity. He had a big heart,” daughter Jo Lochore says.
When Robert, a retired drainage contractor and farmer, died in 2024, his family was left with years of clearing-sale bargains to dispose of. To most, it looked like piles of junk. In reality, there was everything you could imagine, from a bathroom sink to full-scale earthmoving equipment.
“Once we decided that a clearing sale was the easiest way to deal with the cleanup, we chose to donate the proceeds to charity,” Jo says.
When it came time to decide which charity, Jo remembered something her dad used to say.
“Whenever he made a payment to the rescue helicopter appeal, he would say, ‘You never know, it might be one of you who needs it one day.’”
That always stayed with her.
So, the family chose to farewell their dad with one final clearing sale, with all proceeds donated to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust.
“It felt like the right way to give back to the rural community that had supported Dad throughout his years in business.”
The family was grateful for the support of Bob Davidson from Rural Livestock and his team, whose efforts helped make the day a huge success.
Bob Davidson knew Robert well – Robert had been his client for 27 years. When he heard Jo’s plan for a final clearance sale for her dad, he was more than happy to help.
“Robert was such a good bugger, a nice guy and a good client. When I found out all the money from his clearance sale was going to charity, we wanted to be part of it. The rescue helicopters are such a great cause,” Bob says.
The Rural Livestock team turned out in force to support the clearance sale.
“It was a lot of work for Bob and the team at Rural Livestock and they donated much of their time and fees. It was a real community effort,” Jo says.
The clearing sale was a huge success, returning far more than either Jo or Bob expected. Jo says her dad would have been very happy with the outcome.
“He’d be saying, ‘All these years you’ve scoffed at me saying this stuff was junk, but look what it’s worth!’
“Dad always said the things he collected would come in handy one day. It turns out they ended up supporting the rescue helicopters, so he was right all along.”
Many from the rural community attended Robert’s clearance sale, including many farmers Robert had contracted for.
“The wider community came together in a wonderful way that gave back to the community and charity all in one. Dad would have loved it.
“The rescue helicopters were important to dad and he regularly donated to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust during this life. This gift is a special way to remember him and ensure his generous spirit lives on.”
