Appeal for handbags for women in need

• By PJ Taylor

A collection for handbags for women in need is being staged again, dedicated to the memory of the late British backpacker Grace Millane.

“It began with Grace Millane and is now helping women across Aotearoa – one handbag at a time,” says Kylie-Ann Kearney, national organiser of The Love Grace Appeal in New Zealand.

“What began as a tribute to one young woman’s life has now grown into a powerful movement helping women across Aotearoa who have also fallen victim to domestic violence.”

The Love Grace Handbag Appeal, created in memory of Millane, the young British traveller who tragically lost her life while backpacking around New Zealand in 2018, combines Grace’s love of handbags with helping women in need, says Kearney.

“Grace’s family in the United Kingdom launched the initiative to honour her memory in a way that would bring light from tragedy, by providing handbags filled with essential items to women escaping domestic violence.”

Auckland women are mobilising for the cause again this year, says the Howick and bags collection co-ordinator, Sue Clearwater, adding that 7,489 bags were donated in 2025.

“Domestic violence affects every community. New Zealand has one of the highest domestic violence rates, with an average of 71 crisis calls each day, and around 50,000 women and children referred to refuge services each year.”

The five Franklin drop-off destinations for donations of handbags are: Waiuku Zero Waste at 5 Hosking Place in Waiuku, Columbus Coffee (inside Mitre10 Mega) at 2 Wrightson Way in Pukekohe, Ray White Karaka at 75 Hingaia Road, Lets Party and Hire at 65 O’Shannessey Street in Papakura, and The Business Hub at 10 Clevedon-Kawakawa Road, Clevedon.

Kearney says the collection’s handbags “provide immediate dignity and essentials”.

“Many women and children arrive at refuges with nothing but the clothes they’re wearing. Each handbag, filled with new toiletries and hygiene items, helps bridge that gap, offering immediate relief and restoring dignity in an unimaginably difficult moment.

“They also offer a message of love and empowerment. The bags are more than just a collection of items. They’re a tangible symbol of community care.

“Each bag serves as a welcoming gift that reminds the wāhine they’re valued, not judged, and that their community supports their journey to safety and recovery.”

In its fifth year in New Zealand, the appeal is driven entirely by dedicated Kiwi volunteers committed to honouring Grace’s legacy whilst supporting women in their local communities, says Kearney.

Each year, from Valentine’s Day on February 14 to International Women’s Day on March 8, people across the country can give handbags filled with the essential items that are distributed to Women’s Refuges nationwide.

“These bags are then gifted directly to women who have fled violent homes, offering comfort, dignity, and a reminder that they are not alone,” says Kearney.

More than 15,000 handbags have been gifted to New Zealand women over the previous four years, who have called upon Women’s Refuge services.

A Women’s Refuge team member says: “Providing clients a handbag that they get to choose themselves has been a vital step in our safety planning.

“When we offer a client the handbag, we always touch on Grace Millane’s story to explain how and why this appeal came about.

“Clients often become emotional. It truly touches them. When they choose a handbag of their choice, their eyes light up.

“Often, they say ‘I’ve never owned a handbag before’ or ‘I’ve never been able to choose something just for me’. It’s a small moment that restores a sense of dignity and control.”

Another Women’s Refuge team member says: “While we focus on ensuring the safety and well-being of our clients, receiving those beautiful bags brings a spark of joy during very tough times.

“These small acts of kindness mean so much to the women we support, especially when they’re experiencing trauma.”