Keep your eyes peeled for fifty teams ensconced in MINIs taking part in a fundraising roadie - they are due to hit Cromwell later today. 

The Pork Pie Charity Run is a bi-annual fundraising road trip for MINI lovers, based loosely on the route taken by the Blondini Gang in the original Goodbye Pork Pie movie.

The first run in 2009 saw 36 teams travel from Kaitaia to Invercargill over five days.

Since then the event has grown, with participation reaching a 60-car limit and the journey extended to six days. 

Due to accommodation and logistical constraints, the run now caps at 50 teams, and entries quickly sell out. 

Spokesperson Kevin Hollamby said it would be around 5pm the cars would be at Cromwell’s Harvest Hotel and people were welcome to come down and take a look and learn more about the event, and the charity set to benefit from the funds raised. 

The teams will stay overnight in Cromwell and leaving on the final leg to Invercargill via Dunedin on Wednesday. They left Pahia at 2pm on April 3 to begin their journey south. 

The route is 2300km long over six days and seven nights, taking in beautiful scenery, mountain roads and city traffic. 

The route of the 50 MINIs driving the length of the country for charity. PHOTO: Supplied 

The aim for the 2025 event is to raise $500,000— enough to support 1500 more kids through charity KidsCan, keeping them warm, fed, and ready to thrive in the classroom.

The cult classic kiwi movie Goodbye Pork Pie was released in 1981 and was one of the first financially successful New Zealand films. 

It was filmed in November 1979 and used only 24 cast and crew; the director Geoff Murphy did some stunts himself. 

 It was remade in 2016, and the remake was released in February 2017. 

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