Kia ora from the MyHoody team!
We hope that you are all well and looking forward to the spending the holiday season with friends and family! We want to thank each and every Kiwi that purchased a MyHoody or MyDryBag in 2022 – this year hit everyone hard, so we are extra appreciative of those who have supported our small homegrown business throughout this time.
What’s New?
In June, our container of new Hoodys and DryBags finally landed, including our two new colours Flax Green and Purple Rain which have proven to be popular! We weathered the winter months and saw a huge increase in demand across the country as the sun started coming out.
We were hard at work behind the scenes this year, launching a new website with the help of Tauranga company Digital Pie – it’s much faster to load and more mobile-friendly, making the shopping experience easier for all. We’ve also invested more into our digital marketing with Mount Maunganui agency Design Juice, so that people nationwide can see the products we offer. We’ve already noticed the benefits of these investments, so a big thank you to those teams for all the hard work and technical expertise.
Our Family Life
Living in the beautiful Bay of Plenty, we’re avid fishers, boaters, swimmers, and paddle boarders and get out as often as we can with our MyHoodys and MyDryBags.
My husband and I fostered twins who turned 21 this year, keeping us on our toes as they navigate adulthood. We travelled to Hawkes Bay and Dunedin for their 21st celebrations and couldn’t believe how fast the time has flown – it doesn’t seem that long ago that they were 5 and just starting school!
We were lucky enough to pop over to Noumea earlier this year, and made the most of our MyHoodys and MyDryBags as we enjoyed the beautiful water and weather. Since we got back, it’s been all hands on deck for the summer rush!
Our Charities
Last year, we teamed up with Tauranga Breast Cancer Support Services and donated a percentage of our revenue to the valuable work they do. This is a personal one for our business, as in 2001 at the age of 36, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent treatment. So to be able to give back to my community and this cause feels extra special – we donated over $6,500 to the trust which was used for care packs for women with breast cancer.
This year, we have been raising funds for Tauranga’s BOOBOPs Dragon Boating Team – this amazing team of women paddlers are all breast cancer survivors who train very hard and compete at national and worldwide regattas.
By donating $2 per MyHoody sold online, we have raised $2,682 so far for new paddles for the team that can cost up to $8,300! We’ll be continuing to donate as the team prepare for the 2023 World Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Championships in Karapiro.
In October, we donated products to the annual Omanu Surf Club Fundraiser evening, which raised $500 alone! The $11,000 raised from the evening goes towards equipment and travel costs for the club.
We’re looking forward to soaking up the sun, getting out on the water, and seeing our loved ones this summer – may the weather be kind and the good times roll!
Keep an eye out for new MyHoody colours to come in 2023!
Ngā mihi and blessing to you all,
Tim & Shereen Bell
Directors, Mt Surfwear Ltd.
