About Us
If you’re a keen cyclist or intend to start cycling, you already share something with us – a desire to be fitter, healthier, happier and a person who cares for our wonderful country. Just like you, The Greasy Chain Charitable Trust started out as a group of like minded people who wanted to improve the health of all New Zealanders. Believe it or not, this original group were not all cyclists (well, not then anyway).
But they shared a vision – for cycling to be the impetus to encourage all Kiwis to become healthier. And unfortunately, around that time back in 2017, New Zealand had the unenviable status of having the third highest obesity rate in the OECD – only behind Mexico and the US!
The original committee, headed by former international cyclist Steve Stannard, had this dream of running an exciting international cycling event here in New Zealand. Steve could see that such an event would not only provide kudos to the Manawatū region, but as a “prestige” professional international event, would also encourage younger Kiwis to take up the sport and in the wider community, help to get “more bums on bikes”.
And so the Greasy Chain Charitable Trust was born embracing our four core principles:
1
To improve public health (particularly the reduction of obesity and type two diabetes) through regular, healthy, outdoor exercise.
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2
To reduce the current levels of increasing work-related stress in today’s work environment.
3
To provide greater independence for people, particularly older people unable to drive.
4
Over time, to increase the amount of urban cycle trips taken and thus reduce noise and carbon emission pollution.
Today, we work with various community groups and organisations such as:
- Palmerston North City Council,
- Manawatū District Council,
- Horizons Regional Council,
- Cycling Action Network,
- Environment Network Manawatū,
- Bike Manawatū,
- Sport Manawatū,
- Cycling New Zealand,
- Volunteer Central,
- Palmerston North Streets Ahead,
- and our many sponsors and supporters,
Current Board
Our current board comprises:
- Bob Selden, Chair
- Matt van Wagtendonk, Secretary/Treasurer
- Johan Oelofse
- Jen Annandale
- John Adams
- Lucy Keedle
- Malcolm Bailey
- Zoe Wood
- Richard Small (Hon. Lawyer)
to promote cycling activities and events such as Family Fun Rides, Retro Rides, Ride to Work Days, Ride to School Week, the Slicks and Stones for amateur cyclists, February National Cycling Month, and so on.
We continue to host our flagship events, the UCI Gravel & Tar Classic elite men’s and women’s races annually, and our key event for amateur cyclists, the Slicks & Stones Gravel Assault.
We’re extremely proud that the Gravel & Tar La Femme was one of the first cycling events in the world to offer equal prize money for women cyclists. In 2019, the Gravel & Tar was awarded “Best NZ Cycling Event”, by Cycling New Zealand and in 2020 received the Shona Smith Award for contributions to women’s cycling.