Variety – The Children’s Charity Annual Report Brighter futures for Kiwi kids 2014 1 Variety – The Children’s Charity Annual Report 2014 Our Vision Helping New Zealand’s sick, disabled and disadvantaged children reach their full potential. Our Purpose To raise and distribute funds to children in need of basic necessities, vital medical equipment, life-changing mobility needs and essential learning opportunities. Our Values • Community focussed • Outcomes oriented • Caring • Inclusive • Entertaining • Innovative • Responsive • Humble • Accountable Variety – The Children’s Charity Annual Report 2014 2 Who We Are For 25 years Variety – The Children’s Charity We work alongside schools and agencies to without the basics, or funding an essential piece has been creating brighter futures for New connect with Kiwi kids that need our help right of equipment for a child with a disability – Zealand’s sick, disabled and disadvantaged kids. across the country. Our strong relationships with Variety is committed to making sure local kids community organisations help us identify the are not missing out. Our success is born from diversity. With children who need help most and create positive a broad reaching range of programmes, a change in their lives. We believe every child in New Zealand has the calendar of dynamic fundraising events and the right to a happy childhood and to be provided support of generous corporate partners and The breadth of our work enables us to help with the opportunities and resources to flourish. individuals, Variety is proud to help over 10,000 in many ways. Whether it is providing a disadvantaged Kiwi kids each year. scholarship to nurture a special talent, Variety is privileged to share the journey with connecting a sponsor with a Kiwi kid living the children and families we assist each year. Contents Our Mission 1. Our Vision, Purpose and Values 4. Variety CEO Report 2. Who We Are 5. Kiwi Kids in New Zealand Today 3. Variety President Report Our Programmes 7. How We Help 10. Impact - Laptops for Learning, Scholarships 9. Impact - Kiwi Kid Sponsorship 11. Activities and Outcomes Our People 13. Variety Team 15. Governance 14. Our Volunteers 19. Our Supporters Our Financials 17. Financial Review 21. Independent Auditor’s Report 20. Corporate Partnerships 29. Get Involved! 3 Variety – The Children’s Charity Annual Report 2014 From Our President This year the Variety family celebrates a significant milestone – our 25th Anniversary in New Zealand. In April Variety International Chairman, Peter recognised with a Variety International where it received an Innovation Award. Drummond MNZM hosted a special 25th Presidential Citation this year. anniversary dinner in Auckland to honour As we move into the next 25 years Variety looks Variety’s first New Zealand President, Sir The Variety Trillian Bash organisers and teams forward to continuing to deliver a relevant and John Walker. There are also many others to be were kept busy in 2014, organising not only the tangible response to the Kiwi kids we serve. acknowledged as we mark this anniversary. Bash, but the inaugural Variety Great Southern Thank you for your support of our organisation. Dash, a Mini Bash and two Fun Run events. Chief Executive, Lorraine Taylor leads a The 2014 Bash enjoyed a 30% increase in passionate team of staff at Variety HQ who do funds raised. Huge thanks to our Bash Director a wonderful job at the coalface, looking after Murray O’Donnell for his co-ordination skills the families and children who benefit from our and continued dedication to these much-loved programmes, providing stewardship for our events. supporters and bringing our annual events to fruition. Sadly, we lost one of our greatest Bash supporters late this year. Ewen Gilmour has We are extremely fortunate to have a widely been for many years an amazing friend and Joe Moodabe ONZM - President skilled and experienced Board who generously ambassador for Variety and we were devastated give their time and expertise. My sincere to hear of his passing. Ewen took part in thanks to Pam Fauvel QSM, Patrick Baker, Stu almost every Variety Bash, driving his iconic Chapman, Steve Jackson, Sharon Henderson, red stretch limo and making us laugh with his Jayne Kirton, Dr Emma Parry, Richard Spilg, unique brand of comedy. The Variety family and Andrew Webster for all you do for Variety. will miss him hugely. We are sad to farewell Emma, Jayne, Pam and Patrick who leave the Board at the end We simply could not achieve what we do of this year but are hugely grateful for their without the enormous support received from contribution. our principal corporate partners SKYCITY, CMC Markets, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, and The Friends of Variety committee led by The Warehouse. Chairperson Bev Roberts hosted a number of brilliant events throughout 2014. Highlights 2014 has been a positive year for Variety; our Ewen include the Heroes for Kids Luncheon, a Wine Kiwi Kid Sponsorship programme has grown Gilmour Tasting and the sell-out Variety premiere of considerably as more New Zealanders reach Kiwi film Hip Hop-eration. out to ensure that our disadvantaged children’s basic health, medical and educational needs are My congratulations to Diana Fenwick QSO, met. The programme was further recognised at 1963-2014 a long serving Friend of Variety who was the Variety International Conference this year Variety Ambassador Brighter futures for Kiwi kids Variety – The Children’s Charity Annual Report 2014 4 From Our CEO 2014 has been a financially successful one for Variety and ultimately for the sick, disabled and disadvantaged Kiwi kids we help through our activities. Over the last 12 months, we have focussed Our Laptops for Learning programme saw and Skechers Women’s 6K Run have connected our attention on growing and diversifying our more than 350 digital devices presented to Variety to a host of new supporters. income streams to build a more sustainable low decile schools nationwide, ensuring platform for growth. students have access to technology which The success of this financial year is a credit forms such a vital part of their education. to the dedication and commitment of our This has resulted in an increase of 42% in staff, board, corporate partners, volunteers, operating surplus before distributions against Variety Gold Heart Scholarships provided individual donors and supporters. We are the prior year. This significantly exceeded our financial assistance of up to $5,000 to 17 enormously grateful to all who support us, anticipated budget surplus; grants distributed talented young Kiwis across the country to and are proud of what we have achieved for during the year are on par with budget, help support and nurture their talents in the Kiwi kids this year. We look forward to building as demonstrated on the table below. The arts, sports or education. The Variety Voices on our successes and creating brighter futures Variety board takes a considered approach to youth choir has gone from strength to strength, for even more children in 2015. distributing funds in accordance with well- delivering rousing performances throughout established long-term plans. The excess surplus the year at our key events. It’s wonderful to see in the ‘14 year provides the Board with some new talents emerge as the choir develops. flexibility in the coming year to increase its planned distributions in a considered way, or Our events this year produced some excellent to further bolster the Future Kiwi Kids Fund results. The Monster Book Fair drew record reserves, or both. crowds and raised $87,500 in sales with over 100,000 books donated. Our second SKYCITY Our key successes this year include doubling Variety of Chefs delivered a wonderful evening the number of children supported by our Kiwi of fine dining and philanthropy, and partner Lorraine Taylor - Chief Executive Kid Sponsorship programme. Now in its second events with The Warehouse, Freemasons, year, the programme has created significant Rotary, MOTAT, Miss Universe New Zealand positive changes in the lives of more than 1,120 New Zealand children in need. 3 Year Financial Snapshot The generosity of Variety Kiwi Kid Sponsors has had a transformative effect on many lives. 2011 / 12 2012 / 13 2013 / 14 We read these stories in letters of thanks from Budget Actual Result sponsored children and their families. They are enormously grateful for the support given. It Revenue 985,093 1,576,462 1,868,829 1,951,632 might be an extra blanket for the bed, a schoolbag or simply a birthday card from their sponsor – Expenses 778,003 775,483 953,108 859,439 these small contributions mean so much for a Surplus / Deficit 207,090 800,979 915,721 1,092,193 Kiwi kid who is used to going without. Grants Approved 493,183 804,861 845,327 862,778 Distributions (To Kiwi Kids) 250,000 125,000 - - NB: Management Accounts Brighter futures for Kiwi kids 5 Kiwi Kids in New Zealand Today It is often said that New Zealand is a wonderful country for children to grow up in. We are proud of our natural environment, robust education system and cultural diversity. However, the reality is that many Kiwi kids Monitor Report notes the tens of thousands Living a life of deprivation can cause lasting go without the essentials. In August this year of children who are admitted every year for damage. It can mean doing badly at school, the Office of the New Zealand Children’s respiratory and infectious diseases associated having poor health and ultimately not getting Commissioner reported that: with living in damp, overcrowded homes. a good job. “One in four of New Zealand children live in There are children who do not go to the doctor By addressing these issues and supporting our low income households, and 17% of children when they are sick, because they cannot afford Kiwi kids we can give them the opportunity to regularly go without the basic things they the cost of the appointment and the medicine.