The 20th annual Variety Bash raised a phenomenal $400,000 for sick, disabled and disadvantaged Kiwi kids during its week long convoy from Christchurch to Auckland from March 7 - 14.

The Variety Bash is a convoy of over 60 quirky old cars, fire engines and other vehicles that started in Christchurch on March 7th before making its way to Auckland during the eight day Bash - it raised funds and fun for Kiwi kids and bought magic and fun to the schools and communities it visited.

Highlights of the 20th annual Bash included a massive water fight at the Cathedral Square launch between fire engines from the Variety Bash and Canterbury Fire Service; distribution of over $230,000 in grants to children and child-related organisations, community projects in Whanganui, and a spectacular finish at MOTAT in Auckland.

During the Bash, the volunteer Bashers distributed grants including 3 Sunshine Coaches, 600 smoke alarms funded by Trillian Trust, eight insulin pumps, six specialised trikes, two trampolines and resources for child-related organisations, all of which will help Kiwi kids reach their full potential.

"Variety's aims to fill the gaps that other organisations can't or won't fill - one such example of this is the grant for over $7000 to coastal Aranui School for swimming lessons for all of the students," said Lorraine Taylor, CEO of Variety - The Children's Charity.

"We were warmly greeted in every community we visited and our fundraising efforts were greatly assisted by the generosity of the public - the volunteer Bashers raised over $30,000 by shaking buckets," said Ms Taylor.

"Our 20th anniversary Bash was always going to be very special - we started it with a pre-Bash trip to the Chatham Islands to bring the Bash to the children there and celebrate the achievements of 6 men who have participated in every single Bash.

Peter Drummond (Parnell), Dave Shorter, Geoff Bentham (Waitakere), Murray 'Mojo' O'Donnell (Mellons Bay), Lou Vandermeer (Half Moon Bay) and Graeme Knight (Manukau) were part of a group of 25 that distributed grants and participated in community projects in the Chatham Islands.

Celebrities who joined in the fun of the Bash including Outrageous Fortune star Shane Cortese, actor Peter Elliot, Monty Betham, Shortland Street stars Mauri Stokes and Shaun Edward-Brown, Ronald McDonald, Australian magician Super Hubert, Variety Ambassadors Ewen Gilmour, Mark Wright, and Liane Clark, Cocksy the Builder, Constable Bryan and Bobby from the TV3 programme Bryan and Bobby, Alix Bushnell and Bronwyn Turei from Go Girls, and Variety scholarship mentor Jayne Kiely.

One of the Bash's 20 year sponsors Ford New Zealand spread the message of the Bash around the Wellington area with a Donation Drive that distribute 20 grants in 20 hours, one grant for each year it has been a sponsor.

"Helping Kiwi kids in this way would not be possible without the support of our dedicated Variety Bash sponsors Ford New Zealand, Trillian Trust, McDonald's New Zealand, Solid Gold FM, NZ Post, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, Toyofuji Shipping, Pacific Blue, Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries, and the support of the AA and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and assistance from Air Chathams," said Ms Taylor

The mission of Variety is to help sick, disabled and disadvantaged Kiwi kids to reach their full potential - this is done through a series of grants for items which 'fill the gaps' that other organisations or the Government can't or won't fund.

Travelling from March 7th - 14th, the Variety Bash included stops in Christchurch, Hanmer Springs, Westport, Nelson, Farewell Spit, Takaka, Marlborough Sounds, Blenheim, Picton, Wellington, Masterton, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Whakapapa Village, Cambridge and Auckland.

Variety - The Children's Charity is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary in New Zealand and has distributed over $11.7 million in grants to help Kiwi kids during that time.

To find out more about how you can get involved in the 2010 Variety Mini Bash (17-19th September) go to www.variety.org.nz