Variety - The Children's Charity
Variety - The Children’s Charity was set up in NZ in 1989. It has three main programmes:
- Caring for Kids which provides hospital and other equipment where needed
- Future Kiwi Kids which fulfils children’s dreams through scholarships
- Kids on the Move which helps disabled children to get out and about.
The Glenn Family Foundation gave $200,000 to Variety NZ in 2010. This donation has enabled two Sunshine Ford Transit coaches to be upgraded, helping disabled children to get around with ease. The coaches will service a number of schools and youth groups.
The GFF grant has also helped support Variety's Future Kiwi Kids Endowment Fund and has provided a Gold Heart Scholarship for a deserving child. In addition, it has helped the newly-established Variety Choir by providing the children with uniforms and a sound system.
The GFF gift has also provided a “Spacenet” at the Long Bay Regional Park Playground on Auckland’s North Shore. Complemeting the existing playground, this is a specially-designed piece of equipment on which disabled children can play safely. Long Bay Regional Park is a popular venue, with a playground, scenic walks, picnic spaces and a calm expanse of beach. Over 700,000 people use the park each year, and now, disabled children are able to share in the fun at an easily accessible playground especially-created for them.
The Long Bay Regional Park playground development is a two-part project between Variety and the Auckland Council to provide playground equipment for disabled children. The first stage was opened by Auckland Mayor Len Brown on November 26, 2011.
Natasha Boon - New Zealand National Gymnastics Championships
Natasha 'Tash' Boon is a hugely talented gymnast sponsored by the GFF. On November 5th and 6th, 2011, she competed in the New Zealand National Gymnastics Championships. Day One was for Overall NZ National Title Winner and Teams Event, where Tash won the Individual title for the 3rd consecutive year (her team also won Gold) in addition to a whopping 4 golds and 2 silvers over the rest of the two-day event for her individual apparatus titles on floor and vault.
More recently, Tash competed at the National Dance Championships at Jupiter's Casino on the Gold Coast, Australia. The competition boasted 2,090 acts with representation from 84 dance schools, and Tash placed in the final top 5 of the prestigious 'Dancer of the Year,' won 3rd place in diamond section for the highest score, 3rd place overall in the junior section (her last year in this group) for highest score, and also received two 1st place awards for Jazz and Broadway Jazz and 3rd place for her Contemporary dance routine.
Most recently, Tash has been selected to represent New Zealand at the Australian National Gymnastics Championships as a member of the NZ artistic team.
We are extremely proud of Tash for her wonderful achievements; and all in the face on ongoing health problems after breaking a sesamoid bone (a bone embedded in a tendon) in her foot. It's humbling to see this great perserverence and success and we will continue to watch Tash's progress with anticipation as she will surely reach even greater heights with the Olympics only four years away!
Scott Galloway - Ranked World Number Four by the European Squash Foundation
Gold Heart Scholarship winner, New Zealander Scott Galloway has just been ranked as Number Four in the World in the Under 13 category by the European Squash Federation 2011. Scott, whose Variety scholarship is sponsored by the GFF, has enjoyed a hugely successful 2011, gaining 4th place in the Under 13's British Open and being named the under 13 and 15 Champion at the Australian Squash Series. This follows on from Scott's win at the December 2010 Scottish Junior Open Under 13's. In 2011, Scott was also a proud member of the Wellington Under 19 rep team at the New Zealand Nationals, New Zealand Under 15 National Champion for the second consecutive time and a member of the New Zealand National Development Squad.
In 2012, the Lower Hut youth is looking forward to competing in tournaments in Australia and Malaysia, as well as defending his titles at the Scottish and British Open Under 15's towards the end of the year. Scott's coach, Nick Mita, has no doubt that Scott could become New Zealand's youngest ever A-grade squash players and calls him one of the "brightest young male squash talents to come out of New Zealand in 30 years." The GFF is thrilled at Scott's successes as he develops his prodigious ability and we look forward to detailing even more of his achievements in the coming year.