Mini cavalcade passes through town

One Mini needed a windscreen repair when the Pork Pie Charity Run stopped in Whanganui on Saturday. Photo Stuart Munro

A support crew was on hand to cheer on the 60 Mini drivers who called in to Whanganui on the Pork Pie Charity Run on Saturday.

"One car needed a windscreen replacement and there were a few minor repairs but they all seemed to be going well," said local mini enthusiast Roger Whiting.

Local teams Bejae (Brian and Margaret Johnson in their 1979 Mini) and Partners in Crime (Almira Gil and Phil Wilkinson in their 1994 Mini Cooper) were among the crews making their way to Invercargill from Kaitaia.

"There were a few Whanganui Mini drivers who met the crews at Upokangaro and escorted them into town, as well as some from Marton and one from Palmerston North," said Mr Whiting.

The Mini drivers are following the route taken by the famous yellow Mini in the Goodbye Pork Pie movies and raising money for KidsCan, the children's charity that supports 621 low-decile schools across New Zealand, 60 of which are based in the Manawatu-Whanganui region.

Brian Johnson spoke to the Chronicle as he was about to leave Blenheim at 1pm on Sunday. "We had a great crossing on the Interislander and we are travelling with a great crowd.

"One driver from Palmerston North had an oil leak and he took a detour to fix it but still managed to make Wellington in time to catch the ferry."

Mr Johnson said race organisers had sent an email last night to say that fundraising had reached $179,000. "We are planning to reach Christchurch tonight," he said.

The charity run left Kaitaia on Friday and Mr Johnson said they had been "very lucky" with weather conditions.

"Slips had been cleared from the road by the time we left and apart from some heavy rain at Te Awamutu and a bit of wet weather at National Park, we have had a dry run all the way down."

Mr Johnson said one Mini team has pulled out for family reasons but the other 59 are set to continue their journey.