Manawatu-region Bash release and itinerary:

For immediate release

March 4, 2015

THUNDERBIRD WALLY – A MAN ON A MISSION

Palmy local raising funds for Kiwi kids

David Leishman will run straight from the finish line of the Palmerston North Relay for Life on March 8 and into the Variety Trillian Bash road rally raising funds for Kiwi kids via Variety – The Children’s Charity.

He won’t even need a costume change – he’ll be dressed as ‘Where’s Wally’ for both events.

This will be David’s first time on the Bash, but when he heard it would pass through the Manawatu on an eight-day route, and calling in on a Palmy child along the way, he decided to join brother Pete Leishman in another good cause.

The Variety Trillian Bash has raised around eight million dollars in its 25 years running road rallies through New Zealand’s smallest communities, calling in at schools and delivering grants to underprivileged children along the way.

This year the Bash will include a Manawatu stop to deliver a cheque for swimming lessons to a seven-year-old autistic child, who would otherwise miss out as she can’t cope with the noise of a crowded public class, and will benefit from one-on-one lessons her parents were struggling to manage without assistance.

Peter already runs a Bash team, and David and his mate Phil Hoyland have decided to launch their own, using a highly-decorated “child pleasing” Ford Falcon wagon — the scheme has yet to be unveiled — to follow the madcap event, with its focus on entertaining kids along the way.David’s grateful for sponsorship from Power Parts, A1 Trees, and Stihl Shop Silverdale/Stihl, and says he’s looking forward to being able to do good stuff and have fun, a far cry from the hard slog of sponsored cycle rides and relays.

David’s crew of Wallies will pass south from Waiouru on March 9, calling in at Mangaweka School at 10am, Kimbolton from 11am to 12, Shannon from1.40pm and then on south. Catch up with the team en route, or via facebook.com/VarietyNZBash

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