Taupō's Love Grace handbag appeal nets 225 bags in Grace Millane's name

If it's possible for something good to come from something as sad as the murder of young backpacker Grace Millane, then the Love Grace handbag appeal proved it.

The appeal, which ran at Taupō's ANZ Bank during November and December, touched hearts, with bags arriving thick and fast.

And at its conclusion, an avalanche of beautiful handbags - 225 to be precise - each filled with toiletries and a special extra item or two such as a scarf or a hairbrush were presented to representatives of Taupō Police, Taupō Women's Refuge and Taupō Hospital.

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Some of the bags will also make their way to Te Whare Oranga Wairua, the Māori Women's Refuge, via the police's family harm team.

All the bags were tagged with 'Love Grace x' in Grace Millane's own handwriting.

The bags were collected in a project spearheaded by ANZ employee Ricky Wrightwebb and her colleagues with the support of ANZ management and the blessing of Grace Millane's cousin Hannah O'Callaghan, who ran the Love Grace campaign in the United Kingdom.

Grace loved beautiful bags, so after her death her Hannah, who wanted to do something to honour Grace, began collecting handbags and essentials to donate to women's refuges in the United Kingdom. Ricky came across the Love Grace campaign online and asked Hannah's permission to extend it to Taupō.

To support the Love Grace handbag appeal people were asked to donate a new or barely-used handbag and the bags were then filled with toothpaste and toothbrush, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and deodorant, jewellery and a scarf plus an extra luxury item or two.

Ricky says one bag even came from Dunedin, from a woman who had heard about the appeal and brought it in on her way through Taupō.

The 225 bags were divided into three groups. The smaller bags with toiletries went to Taupō Hospital to provide to women who came into hospital without any personal effects of their own and the other two-thirds went to Taupō Police's family harm team and Taupō Women's Refuge.

They were handed over at a short ceremony at the bank and Ricky was visibly moved as she read a small speech detailing the reasons behind the Love Grace project.

"We hope these bags bring light to what can be some dark situations," she said. "We did this together in memory of Grace. Grace, I am sorry."

A letter from Hannah O'Callaghan read out at the handing over thanked Ricky and her colleagues for their efforts.

"It takes a special sort of person to get in touch and show support for a cause you know little about. The people of New Zealand have shown our family such kindness and compassion and it's wonderful to be able to give something back."

Hannah's letter said after Grace's death the family wanted to do something about domestic violence and violence against women. Statistics from both the UK and New Zealand showed there was a huge problem in society with violence against women.

"We hope that the women who receive these bags receive some joy from them and realise that people care about them. They deserve more."

Joy Weston of ANZ said they had been amazed by the response to the handbag appeal with beautiful bags donated as well as baskets and baskets of extras. In addition there had been other items such as children's toys, which had gone to the Harcourts Christmas Shoebox Appeal and sanitary items which had been donated to Pregnancy Help.

"Everything has gone to somebody, nothing has been wasted."