By Bonny Burrows
When fleeing domestic violence, women often leave with just the clothes on their back – until now.
Thanks to a national initiative, women are now being gifted with the necessities to make life that little bit more tolerable.
Tampons, body wash, a book to read, a piece of jewellery to wear – items one may take for granted until left with nothing.
This is the purpose of the Share the Dignity campaign, Handbags with Heart.
Thousands of people have come together nationally to create these handbags to give women a bit of hope during some of their darkest times.
Pakenham’s Jane Veltman is one of those volunteers collecting everyday items for hundreds of handbags, distributed nationally to women’s shelters and charities.
While not a victim of domestic violence herself, Ms Veltman knows what women give up in the quest for safety.
“When women flee domestic violence, they literally flee. You just go,” Ms Veltman said.
“They have their kids, their clothes on their back at not much else.”
Ms Veltman stumbled across the initiative while browsing Facebook, and with her husband a former maker of tampons, it felt like fate to get involved.
“My husband made tampons for 25 years, and now we give tampons,” she said.
“Share the Dignity does fabulous work, and it just felt right to lend a hand.”
She donated for the first time last year during the charity’s Christmas drive, and decided to continue on for 2017.
However, her enthusiasm quickly saw her house overflowing with handbags just midway through this year.
“I ran out of room in the house, and thought there’s no way I can hold off for six months,” Ms Veltman said.
“And then I found one the 4Cs were of one the recipients, and they just so happened to be in Pakenham.”
So on Friday, armed with a carload of handbags containing necessities, Ms Veltman made her own donation directly to the crisis centre.
While Ms Veltman said she was just playing a small part in a bigger picture, the local organisation begged to differ.
4Cs general manager Cheryl Daly said thanks to Ms Veltman, women could now receive “dignity”.
“The bags represent something that is now there’s something they own,” Ms Daly said.
“Knowing someone else cares enough to go to the trouble of putting together feminine products and little treasures that women love shows genuine love and compassion.
“We value the time and effort Jane has committed to putting these handbags full of treasures together to impact those in need within our community.
“Thank you, Jane, on behalf of the women who will receive these bags.”
More information on the Handbags with Hearts initiative is available at: www.sharethedignity.com.au/handbags-with-heart.html
