Ex All Black Reuben Thorne Helping Kiwi Kids

Ex All Black Reuben Thorne Helping Kiwi Kids

The Variety Trillian Bash format of a mystery-route road rally with plenty of fun and entertainment to raise funds for Kiwi kids through Variety – The Childrens Charity takes on a new face come Friday, September 5 when it launches the Variety Southern Dash.

The event will be farewelled from Christchurch by former All Black and well-known face Reuben Thorne, a keen supporter of helping Kiwi kids who need a hand-up to be the best they can be.

The fun event this time leaves the classic cars at home and uses a fleet of rental cars courtesy of NZ Rentals to carry the teams over a still-secret route from Christchurch to the West Coast and back over a single three-day weekend.

Along the way the teams ¬– which are encouraged to dress to a theme – will conduct a working bee at a Greymouth School, visit points of interest and take part in a variety of fun competitions pitting teams from around New Zealand against each other. Speed is discouraged, while a sense of humour is mandatory.

Coordinator Murray ‘Mojo’ O’Donnell says the Variety Southern Dash’s prime aim is fund-raising for Kiwi kids who need a hand-up, but it’s also to keep regular Bashers keen, and to attract folk to the event who may not have the time to take part in the full Bash week, but might enjoy it’s characterful mix of characters, and its format which provides entertainment for both kids and participants as well as good deeds.

“The south often gets overlooked with runs like this,” O’Donnell says, “Not least because it costs a bit to get the classic cars down here – and Bashers want most of the money to go to kids who need it. This format will let us bring a taste of bashing to areas which normally miss out, and let people know about our 25th anniversary Bash, coming up in 2015.”

O’Donnell says there’ll be Facebook and website updates along the way, and hopes local media will catch up with the rally at waypoints to raise the profile of kids in need in local areas.

The rally will leave the Sudima Hotel, Christchurch, after the 8am driver briefing.

ENDS

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