Our weekend in memory of Ewen Gilmour

Sixteen feature vehicles and support crews, 80 slightly (no, quite) crazy drivers and crews, 450 kms of winding Northland roads, five school visits, 2200 children with loot bags and handouts, six hamburger meals, and quite a lot of rain, all in one long weekend.
The Ewen Gilmour Memorial Mini Bash 2014 distributed grants to schools, built a path, repaired outdoor equipment, tried to injure TV personality Simon Dallow on a flying fox and did some landscaping and put in 300 plants at Moir’s Point Christian Camp… and, after expenses, cleared $14,500 for New Zealand kids.
The Cup Cake Car is one of the favourite vehicles of the Variety NZ “Bash”. Nobody was going to be driving it for the recent Mini Bash around Northland. Bev and I were invited to take it over at just a few days’ notice.
 They gave us a great welcome. TV celeb Simon Dallow made a point of acknowledging us in public at the opening school visit. In fact we won the award for Bribery and Corruption. This was for their competitiveness and unashamedly issuing infringement notices to other bashers as the self-appointed patrol officers of the Bash. We also raised $300 in an hour at Whangarei shaking buckets.
It's true that we missed one turn and got lost for quite a while one day. Next day we ran out of petrol and had to be refuelled by the RNZ Air Force support team. We’d been assured the car would do 220kms on a tank but I ran out at 132. There was a bit of talk about a heavy foot on the accelerator… But it was a great drive and I think I might take up rallying.
After visiting Red Beach School, where the special needs class now has a huge wheelchair swing thanks to Bashers, the entire convoy swung through our Residential Village with sirens and flashing lights and the works. People just loved it.
The NZ Variety Bash celebrates 25 years in 2015. In that time it will have contributed some $20 million to NZ children. It is the primary fundraiser for Variety which since the 1920s has drawn together actors and entertainers in fund-raising for children. Some vehicles have corporate sponsors, but most participants in the annual eight-day Bash spend the intervening months raising funds towards the entry fee of $7000 per vehicle. Everyone also pays their own share of costs for the trip. Some further funds are raised along the road with “bucket-shaking” and special efforts.
Variety began in the 1920s when a baby was found abandoned in an American theatre. Members of the cast contributed to secure her future and Variety was born. In NZ the organisation has always received huge support from celebrities in the entertainment industry.
The recent Mini Bash was dedicated to the memory of “Westie” entertainer Ewen Gilmour who died suddenly just before this event. Ewen had been much-loved for his wicked sense of humour and unfailing support of the Bash. His stretched limo was a feature this trip and will remain associated with BashNZ.
Variety is most commonly seen around NZ in the 120 Variety minibuses which have been given to NZ schools and other children’s organisations. 

The Cup Cake Car, owned by Paul and Robyn has become a favourite among the smallest vehicles on each Bash. We were very chuffed to be invited to have it for the weekend.