Stepping out with ‘Captain Tom’ Hamilton Logan on Havelock North Village Green

It was a walk for the ages as near-centenarian Hamilton Logan’s pitch for the charity cause of giving people a second chance at life became a public walk through the Havelock North Village Green on Tuesday.

Hamilton Logan, 99, strides-out with Havelock North mum Rebecca Truesdale and her 10-month-old son Ted at Havelock North Village Green. Photo / Warren Buckland

Almost 99 years spanned the birthdates from eldest to youngest as Logan, who turns 100 in November, was joined by a small number of friends and supporters, including 10-month-old Ted in a pushchair propelled by Havelock North mum Rebecca Truesdale, whose grandfather was a friend of the man they call “Hammie”.

Newly profiled as Hawke’s Bay’s “Captain Tom”, the retired farmer and one of the oldest of 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake survivors invited the public to join him as he set off from the Mackersey Pavilion, in about the most idyllic conditions the leafy-green suburb could provide, for a walk along a 1km route he plans to repeat to help him reach a total of 100km in strolls before his 100th birthday in November.

It’s all aimed at building a sustainable fund to support St John Ambulance, Hawke’s Bay’s Rescue Helicopter and the Rural Support Trust, through a Second Chance at Life Fund with the Hawke’s Bay Foundation.

But he makes no pretensions of matching the £40 million ($84m) raised by late retired British army officer Captain Tom Moore, who, in his 100th year, amid the first British Covid lockdown in 2020, set out to walk 100 fundraising lengths of his Bedfordshire garden.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.