Bash Still Offers Variety

Recently, the team from Audioworks, David Small, Stephen Small and Cam Herbert, successfully completed their 14th consecutive Variety Bash.

Variety, the children’s charity, raises money for sick, disabled and disadvantaged children across Australia through various high profile events, including the annual bash.

Bash teams raise money for donation to Variety through their own events and sponsorship of their bash car. All money raised through sponsorship or events is donated; none is used for car or personal expenses, which entrants must fund themselves. Variety issue tax deductible receipts to the people and companies sponsoring a bash entry.

2005 marked the 21^st anniversary bash and saw 118 cars depart Sydney, winding their way into outback Queensland before turning south, heading down through central NSW and then onto Tanunda in the Barossa Valley. The 21^st anniversary was celebrated as a National Bash, these 118 cars from Sydney joining hundreds more cars, which departed Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Darwin in a national finish at Adelaide Oval followed by a stunning gala evening at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

The bash is not a race or rally in the usual sense. All vehicles must be manufactured prior to 1970. Participants are drawn from all walks of life, coming together to drive along rough, dusty outback roads while bribing and cheating their way past bash officials, enjoy a party atmosphere and raise funds for Variety. The 2005 national bash raised close to 7 million dollars while since inception, the bash has raised around 80 million dollars. Grants are made to individuals, schools and hospitals along the route the bash follows.

Funds are distributed by Variety as grants including wheel chairs, Liberty swings, vocal output speech devices, prosthetic limbs, play ground equipment, Sunshine coaches, sleep systems, standing frames, the NETS sick children’s transport system, and many hospitals and schools to name but a few.

2006 will see the team join a small group of people who have completed 15 bashes. Audioworks, Car 782, acknowledge their sponsors, Amber Technology, Horwitz Publications and Swan Motors Service for their generosity.  Thanks also to Swan Motors Service for keeping the mighty Valiant on the road!

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