Wānaka’s community is built on genuine care – for each other and for this place. You’ll see it in the local conservation groups, the businesses choosing sustainable practices, and the everyday actions that reflect a shared commitment to protecting what makes this region special.
At Active Massage, it’s no different. Care is built into everything they do: whether it’s caring for their clients, the wider community, the region, Active Massage has created a practice where well-being for individuals and well-being for the planet are deeply connected.
Supporting Love Wānaka as an Impact Partner is one example of that care, one piece of the wider picture rooted in integrity, generosity, and love for the place they call home. We chatted with Gray Campbell, Owner and Lead Therapist of Active Massage, to reflect on their journey, values, and the meaning poured into their practice.
Active Massage began in 2008 with just one treatment room inside Proactive Gym. From the start, the vision was clear: excellence, professional integrity, and a deep commitment to community. That foundation helped the business grow steadily over the next nine years, eventually expanding into a new space in Wānaka’s CBD. More treatment rooms followed, along with a strong and loyal client base of locals and travellers alike, all drawn to the warmth and quality of care that quickly came to define the studio.
But in 2020, COVID-19 hit. And it was the quiet of the pandemic years that really offered the team an opportunity to pause and reflect. “Covid gave us the rare gift of time to step off the tables and really look at the business – where we were going and how best to get there,” says Gray.
That moment of reflection sparked a full relocation to a custom-designed space at 74 Ardmore Street, designed to nurture both client and therapist. The new studio now offers not only massage therapy, but also saunas, a hot tub, and cold plunge, giving people a space to truly reset inside and out. To step in, breathe out, and feel right at home.
At Active Massage, sustainability isn’t just a checkbox or something they talk about. It’s embedded in how they operate, build and grow. Reusing and repurposing materials has long been second nature to the team – just walk through the doors, and you’ll see cedar offcuts lining their sauna, discarded oarlocks hanging coats with pride, and old decking transformed into seating. Almost every corner of their space tells a story of thoughtful reuse.
“Except for our sheets,” says Gray with a laugh. “Those are strictly single-use. Some lines we never cross.”
But as the business grew, the team decided to take that care for the planet a step further, engaging Carly Green and her team at Environmental Accounting Services to help them understand their carbon footprint.
“The findings were both eye-opening and empowering,” says Gray. Their 2022/23 emissions came back at an estimated 2.17 tonnes of CO₂e, which gave them a clear baseline to work from. From there, with changes inspired by the report, Active Massage proudly reduced its emissions by almost 40% to 0.84 tonnes by the following year. The simple act of switching electrical companies to Ecotricity almost cut their emissions by half.
“For a small business, this may seem modest, but for us, it’s a powerful validation of our efforts,” says Gray. “Now we have real data to measure against, meaningful wins to celebrate, and a clearer path forward. And while we might not always see such dramatic results, we now have the knowledge to keep us on the right path.”
For Gray, providing care for people and place is driven by the real desire to give back to her home and the place that sustains her. It’s not a tickbox or a tactic, it’s caring for this special town, our unique community, and the land that has given her so much to be grateful for.
That sense of care radiates beyond environmental impact. It shows up in every corner of the business, with a real commitment to affordable wellness through community pricing.
“We care for our community by showing up: consistently, skillfully, and with heart,” says Gray. “We prioritise local clients while warmly welcoming travellers, offering community pricing to those who need it most – mountain crew, healthcare front-liners, and Wānaka’s wider working backbone – because we believe wellness should be accessible, not exclusive.”
For Active Massage, these efforts aren’t about profile, they’re about purpose. For them, community connection isn’t a marketing strategy, it’s the foundation of who they are.
Active Massage also donates time, resources and support to causes that matter, from the Cancer Society to LandSAR, Mint Charitable Trust and the Himalayan Trust. They’re regular supporters of the NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival and provide local discounts for their team with vouchers for restaurants and shows.
“Our values aren’t just ideas, they’re actions. Authenticity, trust, professionalism, contribution, meaningful connection… these guide every decision we make, both in the treatment room and beyond.”
Supporting Love Wānaka through a 1% donation model was a natural next step for the team at Active Massage. For both Love Wānaka and Active Massage, the sentiment is shared: it’s about giving back to the people and place who sustain us.
“Wānaka is more than where we work. It’s our community, supporting us in business, in play, and in raising our children. It’s our home,” says Gray. “Each massage we give is a moment of care for an individual: our donation to Love Wānaka is a moment of care for Wānaka itself.”
Gray also sees Love Wānaka’s work as a way to counter the growth of tourism so it doesn’t compromise the beauty and integrity of the region. “Protecting the environment is protecting our future – our lifestyle, our community, and the well-being of those who live and visit here. Tourism brings opportunity, but it also brings impact. Organisations like Love Wānaka help us find the balance.”
And for other businesses considering a similar move? The principle is the same. “Big or small, every business has the power to contribute,” says Gray. “When we collectively invest in Love Wānaka, we help sustain our natural environment, support wildlife, and protect our small but mighty patch of Mother Earth for generations to come.”
If you’re interested in protecting our environment and taking a step towards a more sustainable future, consider donating to Love Wānaka or becoming a Love Wānaka Impact Partner like Active Massage. It’s up to us to care for the land that sustains us, and when it comes to giving back, every little bit counts. If you don’t have much to give, why not lend your time and hands to local volunteering opportunities? Your support is more than just an act of care for our land, it’s also caring for our community, our tamariki (youth), and the soup-giving neighbours that care for you right back.
Because in the end, when we all give a little, we all gain a lot.
