How you can help transform children’s lives through golf
This year Variety Golf will have raised £2m and present 40 Sunshine Coaches. We talk to Variety Golf Captain John Conteh MBE, to find out how you can help...
John Conteh is the Captain of Variety Golf. It is his second spell in the role, and he follows such luminaries as Steve Coppell, Len Goodman, Mark Ramprakash, Stan Boardman, Anton du Beke, Kevin Whately, Russ Abbot, Bernard Gallacher, Ray Clemence, Sir Geoff Hurst, Sir Henry Cooper and Jimmy Tarbuck.
Originally known as The Variety Club Golf Society, it was founded in 1965 to raise money to purchase Sunshine Coaches for disabled and disadvantaged children. It has also partnered with The Golf Trust, which organises golf lessons for disabled children.
As Conteh explains: “For schools and organisations catering for children with special needs, the lack of suitable facilities for children with disabilities makes trips a real headache for teachers and carers. But a Sunshine Coach makes it possible to take them in comfort and safety to experience new places, whether for sport or leisure, or simply to access the core curriculum at other schools. It lets these children explore places they would otherwise never get to.
“It also helps them integrate more into the local community. The increased self-esteem and confidence that comes from doing something as simple as buying a drink or snack in a cafe is hard to imagine, but teachers will tell you they see the difference. When children have new experiences, there’s more to share and talk about so their social and communication skills improve.”
A Sunshine Coach costs in the region of £35-£40,000, depending on its specification, but there are many ways that individuals, companies and golf clubs can help Variety Golf.
Variety Golf offers corporate memberships tailor-made to a businesses’ needs and budget. They can run a golf day for a company, with celebrities playing in the event. Corporate members can also enter players into other events and can benefit from brand and social media exposure in association with the celebrities.
Companies raising £30-£35,000 get the chance to present their own Sunshine Coach, emblazoned with the company name, to a grateful school.
WHAT THEY SAY...
One of the companies that has done this is Edit Residential. Managing director Jamie Aherne explains:
“Variety Golf has run our Edit Residential Company Golf Day at The Grove for the past five years from start to finish, and every detail is always handled perfectly. We were delighted to raise enough funds after two Golf Days to present our own Variety Sunshine Coach to an amazing special needs school which is just round the corner from our office. The satisfaction from seeing that Sunshine Coach on our way to work makes it so very special.”
Paul Thomas, CEO of Synecore, says his firm has been thrilled to present five Sunshine Coaches in the last five years.
“To see the smiles on the children’s faces when they receive their own Sunshine Coach makes it all worthwhile.”
Joie Baby UK have presented Sunshine Coaches to 20 schools and children’s hospices over the past five years. CEO David Welsh says:
“Joie is a baby products company, so we are delighted to be a partner of Variety Golf in helping change the lives of so many children for the better.”
Several golf clubs have also partnered with Variety Golf, whether through the Golf For Disabled Children programme or by holding fundraising golf days, often with evening entertainment provided by Variety Golf. “Our generous members come from all walks of life,” says Conteh, “but with the same goal in mind: to enjoy golf in great company at great venues, whilst raising money for the children. Variety Golf will be there to help with all the preparations for what you can be sure will be a very special day where you will enjoy the company of our celebrity members on the course – not to mention some great evening entertainment!”