The Rural Roundup

Paddy Thornton | Maungaturoto Dairy Farmer & Volunteer Firefighter

The Rural Roundup

Show Notes

We're shining a light on our local heroes. Volunteer firefighters across the country drop everything to help others.

One of those legends is dairy farmer Paddy Thornton. He's spent 34 years volunteering in the Maungaturoto fire brigade, 10 years as Chief & 6 years as deputy chief, a title he has recently passed the baton on.

He is still in the brigade serving his community today and we caught up for a yarn.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from The Rural Roundup

Oct 23, 2026

Erin Speeds talks to:

Oct 23, 2026

The National Lawn Mower Racing Championships are kicking off this weekend in the Hawkes Bay.

Oct 23, 2026

She's a wool handling judge, examiner, and rep. She's the President of NZ Merino Shearing, Alexandra and also sits on the board of the New Zealand Wool Classers Association.

Oct 23, 2026

In June 2026 Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) members voted to reform ApiNZ into a new industry body called Honey and Bees New Zealand (HBNZ).

Oct 23, 2026

She's been making headlines this week after a quick interaction with Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, in which concerns were raised about the raising costs on dairy farms. The response is what's been raising eyebrows.

See all episodes →