Variety raises $400,000 for children

Children's charity Variety last week raised $400,000 for sick, disabled and disadvantaged children.

The Variety Bash - an eight-day convoy of quirky cars, fire engines and other vehicles travelling from Christchurch to Auckland - distributed over $230,000 in grants to children and child-related organisations.

Grants were given for items such as vehicles, smoke alarms, insulin pumps and trampolines.

"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," Variety chief executive Lorraine Taylor said.

Variety aims to help sick, disabled and disadvantaged children 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."