CHARITY RALLY WEEKEND RAISES $12,000 FOR KIDS IN NEED

Variety Trillian Mini Bash digs in to help Auckland kids

THE Annual Variety Trillian Mini Bash brought together celebrities Simon Dallow and Cocksy the Builder along teams from as far afield as Timaru and Whangarei, Tauranga and New Plymouth to give some disadvantaged kids a day out they won’t forget – and to raise funds for other kids in need of a hand-up.

Mostly kitted out in fancy dress, and all aboard classic cars and fire engines, the crews raised around $12,000 over the three days.

But they also gave a few kids a day they won’t forget in a hurry.

Starting in West Auckland schools, swinging south to Middlemore Hospital’s children’s wards and then hosting underpriveleged kids from Pakuranga, West Auckland and Waiheke to an adventurous day out on Waiheke, the crews really put their backs into making a difference.

Bash Director Murray O’Donnell, fresh from tallying the last incoming cheques and the few outgoing bills, says the weekend was a huge success.

“All the teams pay a generous donation to Variety – The Children’s Charity to take part, and that money goes to children in need, or those who help them. But they also entertain kids at schools and hospitals, hand over some of the funds they’ve raised, and work hard to give disabled kids a wonderful day out.”

“Kiwis are big-hearted folk, and Bashers more than most,” he says, “And so are the businesses that get behind us. We couldn’t have taken the crews and the kids we hosted to Waiheke without SeaLink, and of course EcoZip gave them all a day they won’t forget. And then there’s Ford, supporting Variety for 25 years. Its staff spent the whole of the Friday wielding spades at a Whenuapai School working bee, landscaping and planting thanks to help from Sustainable Landscapes in Silverdale.”

“And we can’t forget the RNZAF and the AA, who provided service crews to keep these old vehicles going. However well looked after it is, a 60-year-old car can fail, and yet with kids and timetables the show must go on. We did see a few mechanical hiccups, and the boys and girls of the service crew kept everyone on the road until it was time to head home.”

Around 70 participants were carried aboard vehicles as diverse as a 1972 Dodge Challenger piloted by two witches and a 1960s Mini packed with rock ‘n’ roll queens, a bright yellow 1961 Bedford fire truck and a Ford Falcon disguised as Thunderbird 2, with Thunderbird 4 atop its roof, A Holden FJ carring ‘Hogwarts’ pupils and a bright-blue Buick over 60 years old and awash with clowns.

All the cars visited an array of West Auckland Schools, donating Canon printers and Variety bikes to deserving kids, or for pupils to learn cycle safety on purpose-made school-ground tracks.

Middlemore Hospital’s children’s wards were brightened by the colourful visitors, and equally colourful dolls, balloons and other mementos were left behind for the kids.

The furthest-travelled duo were the Christchurch and Timaru Ray White teams, aboard an eyeball-searing-yellow Land Rover older than its driver, and an equally venerable Dodge Challenger.

For Dodge owner Michelle Greer, it was her first Bash event, but she says she’ll be back. “Any parent knows how hard bringing up kids can be for the ordinary mum and dad. It can be difficult to go the extra mile if your kid has a special talent, or a special health need, or impossible if you’ve hit hard times. We’re all lucky that we haven’t needed a hand, but it could easily be different, and it’s a privelege to be able to help, and have fun while doing it,” she says.

ENDS

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