On The Up: Bay of Plenty teams join Pork Pie Charity Run for KidsCan

Matt Woodley (left) and Nathan Bonney are driving a 1999 Mini Cooper dubbed Minty in the 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run. Photo / Supplied

• Fifty teams are driving their Minis 2400km across New Zealand in the Pork Pie Charity Run to raise money for KidsCan - a charity that helps children affected by poverty.
• Among them are Rotorua and Mount Maunganui locals Kevin Hollamby and Nathan Bonney who aim to make a difference to children in need.
• The money raised will support children with breakfast, snacks, lunches, jackets, shoes, and health products.

NZME has launched On The Up — a national campaign showcasing amazing stories of inspiration, success, courage and possibilities. In this story, reporter Megan Wilson talks to two Bay teams, one from Tauranga and one from Rotorua, who are supporting the iconic Pork Pie Charity run raising money for KidsCan.

Mount Maunganui’s Nathan Bonney thought doing the 2023 Pork Pie Charity Run would be a “bucket list one-off” experience.

“But here we are doing it again.”

The Iridium Partners founder and director said he initially joined the 2400km road trip – inspired by iconic Kiwi movie Goodbye Pork Pie – to support KidsCan, as children were “the future of the country”.

Bonney and his co-driver, Donovan Group chief executive Matt Woodley, raised the most money in the 2023 run with about $46,000, thanks to support from the franchise sector.

This year, “we’re back to make a bigger impact”, Bonney said.

Matt Woodley (left) and Nathan Bonney are driving a 1999 Mini Cooper 'Minty' in the 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run. Photo / Supplied

“The Pork Pie Charity Run isn’t just about the drive; it’s about giving back to communities, and we’re incredibly proud to do it for KidsCan.

“With the generous support of New Zealanders, we’re hoping to surpass our goal and change lives.”

The pair - who will be driving a 1999 Mini Cooper dubbed “Minty” - were once again leaning on the franchise community and their industry connections for support.

“New Zealand’s such a wonderful country to go driving through … it’s just a fantastic cross-section of people that do it, just a really good vibe.”

The Pork Pie Charity Run organisers Kevin Hollamby (left) and Peter Bjarnesen. Photo / Megan Wilson

Co-organiser Kevin Hollamby from Rotorua said he and his co-driver Peter Bjarnesen had been running the event for about eight years.

The self-described Mini “addict” said it allowed them to meet people from around the country and help organisations such as KidsCan.

The pair - under team name Two Old Farts - were driving a modified 1983 Mini City missing its bonnet, boot and lights – a homage to the 1981 movie’s final scenes as the car limped into Invercargill.

“I’m a fairly hard-nosed person and I don’t believe there is any need for poverty in New Zealand,” Hollamby said.

“Once we started becoming involved with KidsCan and working alongside some of the schools … we can see that people are missing out and we weren’t quite sure why.”

He saw most parents worked hard to look after their children “but still can’t quite get there”.

The event was his way of giving back to the community.

Kevin Hollamby and his wife Keri Hollamby pictured at Paihia in 2021 during the KidsCan Pork Pie Charity Run. Photo / Peter de Graaf

KidsCan said 50 teams were driving 2400km across New Zealand, aiming to raise $500,000 to help children living in hardship.

The charity run was inspired by the cult-classic movie – a cross-country escapade following two men in a stolen Mini as they try to evade police.

The run set off from Paihia on April 4 and was travelling through Auckland, National Park, Wellington, Kaikōura, Hokitika, Cromwell and Dunedin to the finish line at Invercargill on April 9.

Along the way, teams stopped at KidsCan partner schools, where the money raised helped students with food and clothing.

Last year’s run raised a record $417,129 for KidsCan.

KidsCan chief executive Julie Chapman said thousands of children were on their waitlist for support from the charity.

“For an increasing number of families, there is nothing left at the end of the week.”

The money raised would support children with breakfast, snacks, lunches, jackets, shoes, and health products.

“With the essentials covered, kids can focus on learning, which gives them a pathway out of poverty.

“We’re so grateful to the Pork Pie teams for the huge impact they have.”

People can donate on the Pork Pie Charity Run website.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.