SpinningTop

11/07/2024

After 18 years, SpinningTop is closing its doors.
We are left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and admiration for everyone who has supported this work. It’s been the most amazing journey and it really has come down to a lot of individuals working together for good. This generosity has been life changing. We can never thank you enough.

In fact, this is very much a thank you post. The list is long, and you’re probably on it, so here goes ...

Barrie Thomas, the legendary director of The Body Shop NZ, was the force behind our establishment in 2005 along with the original manager of the charity, Shelly Robinson.

Since then, SpinningTop has been able to donate an incredible $2,035,962 to help children in the toughest situations to safely live, play, learn and grow.

Shelly, Pat, Rachelle, Annie, Paul, Ruth, and Gwen (who have been running the SpinningTop office over the years), along with the multitude of volunteers and supporters, have made this remarkable achievement possible. All alongside Mikey and Callum on the board.

A huge part of our success has been The Body Shop NZ stores. SpinningTop was The Body Shop NZ’s charity of choice – and this ongoing support meant that SpinningTop’s wages and office running costs were covered, so what we fundraised could go directly to the projects.

Then we had the SpinningTop products and events that were promoted and sold throughout the NZ stores – Action Stations, the Christmas and the Mother’s Day campaigns. Hands up who has bought a handmade wooden spinning top; a gift tag; a Mother’s Day product; or one of those absolutely fabulous and very colourful handmade purses made in Thailand?? We sold literally thousands of those purses! :)

And the mighty Defender Bags: Turning billboards into bags – these bags and makeup brush rolls made from recycled vinyl billboards were a fantastic fundraiser that ticked all the boxes! All profits went towards SpinningTop.

Several businesses and individuals regularly donated through payroll-giving or via the excellent One Percent Collective initiative. Their generosity has been life changing. (We highly recommend One Percent Collective if you are looking for an easy way to donate to effective charities.) Plus there have been so many art, photography and performance events, and numerous pub quiz nights (thanks Mikey!).

We also want to make a special mention here to Annie Fischer who has been managing the operational side of SpinningTop magnificently over the past nine years.

And we can’t forget The Good Guys comedy shows, where once a year generous comedians and audiences made this super-fun event sparkle as part of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. Thanks to all those involved.

Ok, we can’t mention everyone by name, so – you. Yes, you!

You have been part of incredible transformation for children in so many communities, reaching some of the most marginalised children around the world, and helping them flourish and thrive. We encourage you to stay involved in projects that give opportunities for young people in Aotearoa and around the world.

Ngā mihi nui,
The Spinningtop Team

20/01/2024

Does our heart good to see One Percent Collective going so strong. The combined power of a collective. Individuals making a big difference when working together. It's a good reminder what can be achieved ❤️💛🧡💚🩵

Join hundreds of Kiwis regularly giving little amounts to causes they care about. We make it super-easy to donate to multiple trusted charities with one simple signup. Give as much as you like, as often as you like. It's like your subscription to Spotify or Netflix. Think of us as your positive chan...

22/11/2023

!!!! 😮🤩

Best birthday present ever! Our 11th birthday coincides with another milestone – 𝟰 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗗!

After One Percent Collective launched in November 2012 it took 72 months to raise the first million dollars. The fourth million took just 16 months. That’s the power of a Collective of over 700 Kiwis who give a %. That’s the power of inspiring generosity and simplifying regular giving. That’s why One Percent Collective exists.

Of course, it’s a Collective effort, and everyone is due a thank you.
• Thank you to all donors, past and present.
• Thank you to The Future 70 (70 people giving $20 per week to help with our running costs)
• Thank you to current business sponsors FNZ, Klim Type Foundry, 1000minds, and Supergood.
• Thank you to past business sponsors The Original Cocoa Traders, Sam Newble & Ben Ryan Tommy's Real Estate, Real Steel Ltd, PaySauce, Trade Me, Flick Electric Co. Star Group (Formerly Wellington Hospitality Group), and BizDojo.
• Thank you to all crew and trustees, past and present.
• Thank you and welcome to Friends of the Collective. They’re donors who’ve recently opted to direct a portion of their regular giving towards keeping One Percent Collective sustainable into the future.

4 million is a lot of dollars but the value is in their impact. Those dollars have helped our past and present partner charities to provide essential services to people in crisis, to care for our environment, to advocate for change, to put food in hungry tummies, and to support and inspire a generation of future leaders and creators who will shape the Aotearoa we live in tomorrow.

Here are the 23 charities that have benefited from the Collective’s generosity over the years; ADC Microfinance, Amped4Life, Bellyful NZ, DCM Wellington, Digital Future Aotearoa (Including Code Club Aotearoa and Recycle A Device), Fair Food, Garden to Table, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust New Zealand, Inspiring Stories, Kaibosh, The Little Miracles Trust, Mixit, Ngā Rangatahi Toa, OutLine Aotearoa, The Period Place, Rare Disorders NZ, Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre, SpinningTop, Sustainable Coastlines, TAKE MY HANDS, UpsideDowns, and WELLfed.

Thanks again to everyone who’s been along for the ride. Let’s keep rollin’.
~ Pat, Ben, Sheridan, and the One Percent Collective Board of Trustees.

P.S. For those not yet part of the Collective, join us on our journey to the next million dollars raised for causes Kiwis care about. Give a % at onepercentcollective.org

09/11/2023

Craft at Stay in School classes

26/07/2023

SpinningTop supports the children of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities on the Thailand-Myanmar border, and the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. They’re giving these kids something most of us took for granted when we were young – the opportunity to just be kids.

20/07/2023

Always a privilege to receive donated funds from One Percent Collective destined for SpinningTop. If you want to find an easy – and very cool – way to donate to excellent grass roots charities, check them out on the link below. Amazing

Join hundreds of Kiwis regularly giving little amounts to causes they care about. We make it super-easy to donate to multiple trusted charities with one simple signup. Give as much as you like, as often as you like. It's like your subscription to Spotify or Netflix. Think of us as your positive chan...

20/07/2023

Join hundreds of Kiwis regularly giving little amounts to causes they care about. We make it super-easy to donate to multiple trusted charities with one simple signup. Give as much as you like, as often as you like. It's like your subscription to Spotify or Netflix. Think of us as your positive chan...

08/05/2023

So incredible to be included in the charities of choice for One Percent Collective. Always humbling to receive their donations. It goes a long way. Thank you!

We've all got a subscription to something. For some people it might be music, movies or magazines. For others it's w**e and cheese! Think of One Percent Collective like your subscription to doing good and feeling good about it. We’ve built a platform that makes regular giving easy. Put your positi...

23/12/2022

2022 – has been an extremely hard year for the kids we support on the border regions / within Burma / and in Bangladesh.

But, you did help bring some smiles.

We feel very fortunate to have the unwavering assistance of One Percent Collective givers. Plus everyone who bought a Defender Bag, or supported us in any way this year.

And as always, Barrie and the team at The Body Shop NZ – they completely cover our wages so that 100% of the money we/you/us raise goes to the projects who need it. That is HUGE for us. It means we have been able to continue to fund and support life-changing projects – a heartfelt thank you.

We hope you are all well and safe wherever you are. See you in 2023.

Ngā mihi nui,
Annie & the team at SpinningTop

19/12/2022

A Christmas gifts for yourself or a friend? Here are some more shots that are still available as prints. All proceeds from the sale go to Spinningtop Projects