Lindsay Gilbert to depart Great Beer Delivery

For immediate release
30 August 2007

Lindsay Gilbert to depart Speight’s Great Beer Delivery

Southbridge farmer Lindsay Gilbert has decided to leave the Speight’s Great Beer Delivery after the ship passes through the Panama Canal this weekend. He will have completed 39 days of the 70 day journey.

After much deliberation, Gilbert came to the decision due to the demands of his 1,000 acre crop, sheep and beef farm which he manages with his father and brother. “Spring’s a busy time on the farm with lambing and trying prep the paddocks to get our key crops down, especially peas and wheat. Dad and Derek have been doing a great job without me but it’s really a three man job running the place,” Gilbert says.

“I’ve also got commitments to other farms in Southbridge that I contract drill and plant on. And Miriam and the kids really need me home too,” he says. Miriam’s eldest son Alex is currently awaiting back surgery for scoliosis. His originally surgery, scheduled for before Gilbert left, was postponed.

Lindsay leaves the adventure with the full support of Speight’s. “We completely understand why Lindsay has come to this decision,” says Speight’s Otago/Southland Sales Manager Stu McIntosh. “Farm and family come above all else, and we wouldn’t expect any different from a good Southern man,” he says.

Leader of the Speight’s Great Beer Delivery crew James Livingston says Gilbert will be sorely missed by the group. “He’s the only one who knows exactly how this dodgy Dutch ship works so we’ll be getting a crash course from the ‘Big Rig’ over the next few days so we’re okay once he goes. Thank god he fixed the broken toilet seat this week; now we’ve just to get him to sort the air-con in our cabins before he takes off,” says Livingston. “Seriously, Lindsay has been the stabilizer of the group. He’s a genuine, solid, practical guy and has made a huge contribution,” he says.

Gilbert says the highlights of the trip have been visiting the Papasee’a Sliding Rocks in Samoa, the on-board North vs South Speight’s Great Beer Delivery Sports Tourney, and crossing the equator. “It’s been a great honor to represent Speight’s and to have come this far,” he says.

Speight’s is now discussing options for filling Lindsay’s place with the project’s non-traveling reserves – Donna Lindsay (firefighter, Christchurch), Steven Nichol (farmer, Middlemarch), and Andrew Mulligan (television presenter, Auckland).

ENDS

© Scoop Media