Giving Back
The success of our small, locally-owned business depends heavily on the vibrancy of the community in which we live and operate. So, it makes sense for us to support events and organisations that enliven Greytown and align well with the values we hold dear.
National Tweed Ride
The National Tweed Ride is our very own annual event inspired by, and steeped in, leisure cycling traditions from the United Kingdom. It celebrates the British heritage of the hand-built bicycles we offer and the gentle ‘slow motion’ lifestyle associated with them – but with a Kiwi twist or two. We are principal sponsor of the Tweed Ride, which brings hundreds of participants and thousands of supporters into town over the Easter weekend. We love promoting an event that showcases our town’s beauty, it’s cycle-friendly lanes and roads and creates an afternoon of unique entertainment for participants.
Tweedy Highlights
Festival of Christmas
For many small-town retailers in New Zealand, winter is an extremely challenging time. The Greytown Festival of Christmas – held throughout the month of July – is a collaboration between Greytown business operators and community groups aimed at showcasing Greytown’s beautiful Main Street, celebrating our community and bringing families together. The festival features spectacular lightshows, shop window displays, night markets, fireworks, entertainment, competitions, events involving our schools and other community groups, as well as special retail and hospitality offers. It has grown to be the biggest annual event in the Wairarapa by attendance and was winner of the 2023 Award for best regional event. As initiators of the first Festival in 2020, Millie and Adam Blackwell are now sponsors and creative directors of the Festival each year through the Country Village Heaven Trust.
The Happiest Festival in New Zealand
Greytown Rail Trail
South Wairarapa is spectacular cycling country. But routes like the beautiful Rail Trail from Greytown to Woodside don’t maintain themselves. That’s why we donate to the Greytown Trails Trust, whose members keep the path in tidy shape for the enjoyment of everyone. We will continue to support the Trust as the region’s network of trails widens.
Spectacular Cycling Country
Truckstop
We built Truckstop as a community dining table (or 12 tables to be exact!) with a little performance stage and places for Food trucks to park up and serve the crowds in 2021. Since then, we have had over 60,000 visitors pop in for dinner over the summer months or some mulled wine during our festival in July and listen to our guest musicians on selected evenings. We have a cornhole court for kids to play on and we welcome canine members of the family. Truckstop is Greytown’s back yard and it brings locals and their guests together in a relaxed open environment. Addressing loneliness and forming stronger relationships is our goal for Truckstop and we appreciate how local families have adopted it as their own.
Festive Feasting
Crop Up
Millie and I believe that the future of our planet’s health will be partly determined by relinquishing industrial food production and returning to an ultra-local food supply, like we had only 80 or so years ago. That’s why we brought Crop Up to Greytown (oh, and it’s because we both really love Farmers Markets!). Crop Up kicked off in December 2023 and runs for the summer and early autumn seasons at Truckstop on Saturday mornings. Locally grown organic vegetables, seafood, artisan bread, eggs and meat are regularly offered through farmers and back yard growers at Crop Up. It’s also a place to meet for an easy coffee and brunch on Saturday mornings. We have sponsored Crop Up so that Greytown families can enjoy local food and build it into their regular weekly shop.
Fresh and Local
Greytown Bridge Club
Bridge is a game with recognised cognitive benefits: sharper concentration and reasoning powers, strategic thinking, teamwork and patience. It’s also a great social occasion. The Greytown Bridge Club helps to knit our community together, building spirit and a sense of wellbeing among its many members. These are principles that sit very comfortably with Blackwell and Sons, and we are proud to contribute.
Need a donation?
We consider requests for donations of $50 or less in the form of Blackwell and Sons Vouchers on 1 April and 30 September each year. If you are based in Greytown, feel free to drop us an email to shop@blackwellandsons.nz about what you’re collecting donations for, and we’ll get back to you with a response after our meeting.