Ladies start your engines

Shona Sharp is getting girls and cars together for a bit of fun. Photo: John Borren.

There's just two rules to this club: you need to be a ‘girl' and you have to have a car.

Formed just three months ago by Tauranga-based woman Shona Sharp, Girls and Grills NZ has already attracted nearly 400 members from throughout New Zealand to its Facebook page.

The group meets every month at the Mill House bar and grill in Tauriko where there's even a special parking area set aside for members.

They enjoy coffee and morning tea together, then the Mill House picks its favourite car and gives the driver a $30 voucher.

Security sets aside a special parking area out the front, Shona says.

'Then we cruise out to where we're going to go for lunch.”

This weekend they're off to a surprise farm location just 20 minutes away for some serious driving fun.

'I've booked an onsite coffee wagon to come with us this weekend so the girls can buy their lunch and another coffee,” Shona says. 'He's a great supporter of us because he's a car enthusiast too - and a mechanic.”

Shona herself has been keen on cars for many years and drives a hot pink and white Ford Prefect.

'I've been to every Beach, Hop even if it was for only a day, and I go to as many car shows as I can.

'I also joined a few of the online groups with my little Ford Prefect and one of the guys suggested I start up a girls' group since I've got such a passion for cars,” she says.

There's no membership fee to join ‘Girls and Grills' or any fee to go on their outings.

'The only cost is your petrol to get to where we're going. Fill the car with the girls, tell the men to babysit and come and have some fun,” Shona says.

'All we ask is for you to go online and join our Facebook group. There'll be just two questions to answer – are you a girl, and what car do you drive?”

You're not required to own any vintage or special sort of vehicle to participate either.

'As long as it's got a grill and four wheels you're in,” Shona says.

Women with access to a car and a spare couple of hours are invited along to a ‘Girls and Grills' social get-together at The Crossing in Tauriko this Sunday at 10am.

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