Expenses eat in to cash as All Black's charity fails

Frank Bunce says his charitable foundation is a victim of hard times. Photo / Supplied

A charity set up by an All Black great to help underprivileged youth has folded after only two years - and most of its money was spent on running costs, with little reaching the intended recipients.

The Frank Bunce Charitable Foundation raised tens of thousands of dollars from high-profile charity events and other funding.

But the money is yet to reach children through a sports scholarship programme that has now been left waiting for funds.

The foundation was formed in mid-2009 to "operate a programme for the education and advancement in life of children and young people in New Zealand".

One sponsor gave Bunce a vehicle for his personal use.

Bunce said the charity had struggled in tough economic times.

As the costs of fundraising had failed to justify the money that could be raised, he would now donate his time to other charities.

He sent an email to trustees in April telling them that he was closing the charity, and says he hopes to distribute what cash is left to intended recipients.

"I've given this quite a bit of thought over a period of time, and things aren't operating as I've hoped. It's become too difficult at this time, and I can't commit the time needed," read the email, according to trustee Laurice Botica.

The other trustees are Janis McArdle, Helen O'Connell and television cook Annabelle White.

Ms White said she had left the foundation last year because she could not give it enough attention.

Bunce was a star All Black between 1992 and 1997. He now markets himself as a celebrity speaker, and is this year helping promote the Rugby World Cup.

He told the Herald the foundation had simply not worked.

"We decided other organisations were better served doing this than us," he said.

"I decided that the most effective way for me to make a contribution to the charities I want to support is to give my time for free, which I do via many different areas, have done for many years and will continue to do."

The money raised by the foundation was spent on running costs and planning a mentoring scheme that never took off, Bunce said.

The foundation held a Sir Colin Meads tribute dinner last September - a glitzy, black-tie event featuring a three-course meal, fine wines and a chance to "rub shoulders with some of the greatest players in the history of modern rugby".

Paul Henry and Gilda Kirkpatrick were among 800 high-profile guests who paid up to $5744 a table at the Sky-City event, promoted and organised by Duco, which put on last year's David Tua-Shane Cameron heavyweight boxing blockbuster.

Duco co-founder David Higgins referred questions to former owner and co-founder John McRae, now in Australia, who said the event raised just over $50,000.

"Frank has the best of intentions, but it's a tough time for all the non-profits," Mr McRae said.

The Frank Bunce Charitable Foundation also held a charity golf day, but Bunce said it had lost many participants when he had postponed the initial date for a trip overseas.

The event lost money when it was held. He had planned another, but could never make it work.

Bunce received the use of a Mazda BT-50 ute worth about $40,000 from sponsor North Harbour Mazda, and a $15,000 grant from the Infinity Foundation, a gaming machine society, to hire a manager.

North Harbour Mazda principal Mike Critchley said: "We supplied a car to Frank himself as part of getting the charity up and running ... We're obviously disappointed [the charity] hasn't progressed."

Among organisations now waiting for payouts are Kelly Sports and Wakatoo Boxing, which together offer youth boxing scholarships.

The scholarships started last year after a visit by boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, whose fundraiser made enough money to run the programme through the first half of this year.

Organisers said the scholarships were aimed at "tackling youth issues in Ngaruawahia and Huntly head-on by getting them off the streets after school and giving them something to do".

Bunce's charity had offered up to $5000 to sustain the scholarships until the end of this year and get 150 young people through the programme.

Kelly Sports operations manager Leah Crawford said the Frank Bunce Charitable Foundation had contacted her two weeks ago.

She knew it was winding up, but she still expected to receive the money.

But Bunce said "there was never an agreement to give Kelly Sports any funding".

"We said we'd like to help if we were able, and that still stands," he said.

There was money left to distribute among charities, probably including Kelly Sports, he said.

He had not received a salary from the foundation, and the ute was "simply a sponsorship deal like thousands of others", Bunce said.

The ute has been returned to North Harbour Mazda.

In March, it was revealed that Bunce had received an interest-free loan for a "private matter" from a South Auckland rugby club run by his brother.

Counties Manukau Sport chief executive Russell Preston said at the time that Bunce and the club deserved credit for the disclosure, but it was "not a good look".

"I'm not happy about seeing this transaction because it indicates we're wasting our time," Mr Preston said in reference to a Club Smart programme his organisation runs to teach clubs good governance and fiscal responsibility, among other things.

The Frank Bunce Charitable Foundation is registered with the Charities Commission, which allows it to claim eligibility for charitable tax exemptions.

- additional reporting: Dylan Cleaver, Jared Savage