'This is why I live where I live': Phil thrilled to Dance for Cancer

But what he's most fond of is his service to the community.

The Border mechanic and former soldier is one of 11 Albury-Wodonga identities to take part in the Stars of the Border Dance for Cancer challenge.

Mr Bullivant has been paired up with childcare co-ordinator and former dance teacher Lauren O'Connor to perform a jazz routine at Albury Entertainment Centre on May 10.

"I was proud of my service to the country, but prouder of my community work," Mr Bullivant said.

"I was a peacetime soldier from 1982 to 1986. I went on some overseas training exercises, but no active service.

"I still have a huge amount of respect for the servicemen and women and the members serving today.

"Not many people in Albury know I was in the army, it's something I've kept pretty quiet. I march from time to time with my Australian Service Medal and my grandfather's medals."

Cancer has been prevalent in Mr Bullivant's family, who's mother died from a brain tumour, while he also lost an aunt to pancreatic cancer.

Mr Bullivant himself is a cancer survivor, having battled it in his prostate along with melanoma.

Despite a prediction he'll be "the worst dancer they've ever seen", Mr Bullivant was only too happy to get behind the Cancer Council NSW fundraiser.

"I've had 11 knee operations and three shoulder operations, so Dance for Cancer is a big ask for me. The body is a bit battered, but it's for the community and a good cause," he said.

"My motto is 'this is why I live where I live'.

"I do a lot of community work and I do a lot with Boys to the Bush as well. This one is close to the heart.

"I'm doing a jazz routine and it's been way out of my comfort zone. The two minutes of my life where I make a fool of myself is not going to be the end of the world.

"My dance partner Lauren O'Connor is very patient. She has two young children and sometimes teaching me to dance feels like she's got three."

Mr Bullivant currently tops the fundraising leaderboard with more than $30,000 and hopes to bump it to $50,000 in the final two weeks of the campaign.

"The people of the district have been particularly generous. We can't do these things without the generosity of Albury and Albury is such a generous town," he said.

"I appreciate the economic times are getting a bit tight and people have been generous despite that.

"I was always comfortable going for $30,000, but the local people have embraced me doing it and we'll try and get as much as we can.

"It's like being in the army, when the chips are down, your mates support you."

Mr Bullivant will stage his first fundraising event on Wednesday, April 24, with a tradies breakfast at Boys to the Bush's North Albury headquarters on Ramsden Drive.

He'll then dive into what he's labelled "Super Sunday" with a Bunnings sausage sizzle in Wodonga and a fashion parade hosted by Zeinert and Co at Albury's Public House on April 28.

To support Mr Bullivant's fundraising, head to stars.cancercouncil.com.au and follow the links to the Stars of the Border page, while tickets for the fashion parade can purchased in store at Zeinert and Co on Dean Street or online through Eventbrite.