Pupils get taste of Pork Pie charity run
Students at Eltham Primary School were given a Mini taste of an epic road trip.
Two classic cars that are taking part in this week’s Pork Pie Charity Run paid a visit and gave children rides around the school field.
The rides proved popular, despite the youngsters being born decades after the release of Goodbye, Pork Pie, the 1981 New Zealand film on which the run is based. The biennial fundraising trip for Mini owners is loosely based on the route taken by the Blondini Gang in the film.
Stratford organic gardener Lorraine Kelsen, who cares for the school’s gardens, brought along the 1978 1275 GT Clubman in which she is about to travel 2350km from Paihia to Invercargill.
Kelsen is going in the rally for the first time with her partner, Rick Coplestone, an agricultural spraying contractor, as team Toxic Green.
They are travelling with Stratford father and daughter duo Rachel and Mike Weren, who are team Peewee, in a red 1978 Leyland Clubman.
The event is raising money for children’s charity KidsCan, which provides food, jackets, shoes and health items to children from 829 lowdecile schools and 110 early childhood centres around New Zealand.
To coincide with Friday’s visit, the school held a mufti day to raise money and is holding a cupcake sale tomorrow as a second fundraiser.
It was a chance to reciprocate for the support the charity gives students, principal Kathryn Pick said.
‘‘Kidscan do a lot for us, and we’re very proud to support them.
‘‘And it’s nice to have Lorraine, one of our staff members who’s making an effort to support them. We’d have been crazy not to get behind it.’’
Kelsen said she was looking forward to seeing some new parts of the country and having fun while fundraising for a cause that so many people were supporting.
The chance that the old car might have engine troubles does not faze her.
‘‘The car has had a heck of a haul over, plus a new paint job and some bits for the motor, and we’ll be surrounded by Mini enthusiasts.’’
In 2019 the run raised more than $290,000 for the charity.
The run leaves Paihia this Friday and arrives in Invercargill on Wednesday, March 31.
Although the trail bypasses Taranaki, the Minis will visit Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, cruise through the Horopito Motor Wreckers (setting for another 1981 film, Smash Palace), and test their small engines with laps of Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell.