The Variety Bash diaries: Day nine

GT Radial team left to right Captain Festus McBoyle, Lyal Gilmour Sarah Finn and Ed Finn. Photos / Jacqui Madelin

The 25th Variety Trillian Bash finished at Motat on Saturday night with the organisers still counting the kilometres travelled, number of children visited, and dollars raised, that number likely to total generously over $150,000, with the coffers at Variety - The Children's Charity further topped up by a $25,000 donation from long-term supporter Ford.

But it's not a Ford we're aboard today, it's the bright yellow 1961 Nissan Naki fire truck. Some of these guys are 24- and 25-year Bash veterans, between them they've logged 106 years on this charity rally, and they're an integral part of the event, and not just because of that eyeball-searing colour. As well as raising the sizeable donation required to take part, they all assist in other ways - Mike's a director of Healtheries and there are plenty of healthy snacks and foodstuffs for both bashers and giveaways to kids. Big T is part of Hooker Pacific, "We've been sending loads of giveaways - Canon printers, Haier hats and so forth - round the country for teams to collect at strategic points to top up their supplies, since many of these cars can't fit seven days' worth into the cabin at one time," and that's without factoring in bicycles and other bulky donations which need transporting throughout the year. And there's 'Tools', often alongside the AA and RNZAF under the bonnets of cars struggling to make it, or jumping ship to help other teams drive when required.

Team Captain Nigel Williams, Big T, John 'Tools', Baz and Mike.

Ask the Naki Boyz why they do it and they joke about the Bash 'family of like-minded people' and the snorers at the night-stop dorms, "We've got a quartet aboard Naki" says Big T. But it's the tear-jerk moments that keep them going, Baz's being a three-year-old blind child explaining, "My eyes are broke."

The rest of the day is spent in stretch-limo style. There's an extra element this year to the GT Radial crew, and it's not Captain Festus McBoyle nestling amid the vast pile of guitars and giveaways cluttering the car's midriff. No, it's the spirit of late comedian Ewen Gilmour ,who started this team, and his friends and family are determined to keep it going in his memory. But that doesn't mean they can't have fun too, and the week saw a seemingly endless roster of comedians and entertainers clambering aboard.

Crew member Sarah Finn says any parent can appreciate how tough a curve-ball like illness or disability in one of your children could be, and that's one element that keeps this crew raising funds, year after year. But it's also the delight on children's faces.
As TVOne's Simon Dallow said on the last night, "When these kids tell you our school visit is better than Christmas, you have to wonder what their Christmas is like."

Want to find out more? Take a look at facebook.com/VarietyNZBash or bashnz.co.nz