BCP to help domestic violence survivors in collaboration with LoveGrace

LoveGrace, a charitable initiative established in 2019, have begun supplying their handbags to Dorset.

With three donation points already set up in BCP, and plans for nine more to be available throughout.

LoveGrace began after Grace Millane was murdered whilst backpacking in New Zealand in 2018.

The initiative was set up by Grace’s mum, and her cousin Hannah O’Callaghan, to bring something positive out of such a horrific situation.

They wanted Grace to be remembered for helping people rather than being a victim.

Hannah works at LoveGrace in her spare time, creating handbags and distributing them across the UK for those who have suffered from domestic violence.

All of there handbags and supplies are donated to them through drop off points and some old stock from companies such as Boots and OPI.

Mrs O’Callaghan shared what goes into the bags and how important they are,

“A lot of these women leave with 20 minutes to flee, and they’re really good at packing for their children, but they don’t pack for themselves.

So when they turn up, they’ve got the clothes on their back and their children, some of them come straight from hospitals, so they’ve got literally nothing.

And what we do is we fill up a handbag with six key items; shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, shower gel, toothbrush, toothpaste, you know, things you use every day. 

And then we try and cram as many luxuries as possible.

And I say luxuries, but you and I would take them for granted, makeup, lip balm, a notepad, a pen, could be a scarf, a pair of fluffy socks, you know, anything that we can get… each bag is a present from Grace and her family to these women.” 

Their drive is about raising awareness rather than funds, the important thing to them is being able to help the women in need physically.

Hannah shared a sobering statistic, “One in four women will be impacted by domestic abuse. 

“So that’s a quarter of all the women you know in your life have been impacted, whether by a partner, by a parent, or even witnessing friends.” 

Mrs O’Callaghan said that she is currently working with BCP to get more bags out to those in need and gave us an exclusive, into their upcoming plans,

“They’ve got storage facilities now, and they’ve got a team of volunteers who are happy to collect the bags, clean and pack them, so it’s all done in house, and then all of those bags go to women in Dorset.”

The LoveGrace initiative has expanded Globally with appeals in New Zealand, Kenya, America etc. As there is a global need to help. Hannah and her Aunt received OBEs last year for their work, and won the Points of Light award in 2020.

They are hoping to become a registered charity this year, so that they are able to supply more bags to refugees in need who do not have a local drop off point.

“So just something as empowering as being able to put on some lipstick and someone not telling you you can’t wear that is it’s more of a symbol of freedom. 

It’s not just a handbag. It’s it’s so much more than that. It’s empowerment.” Hannah O’Callaghan, LoveGrace

Find out more about the initiative, or where your local services are here: https://www.lovegrace.co.uk/

If you are in need of help, reach out for support – you are not alone.