LOCAL women have banded together and bagged it up in an overwhelming display of community spirit.
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More than 100 women converged on the grounds of Hopscotch on Sunday afternoon to drop off handbags filled with items to support women in need over the Christmas season.
The ‘It’s in the Bag’ event is organised by Share The Dignity charity after it realised while many groups support children at Christmas, the same can’t be said for women who put the needs of others before their own.
Tamworth women Min McDonald and Kelly Eason hosted the event in Tamworth on Sunday, with local women donating about 200 handbags.
“We were hoping to have 20 or 30, but we have 110 women coming and it’s looking like we’ll have over 200 bags,” Mrs McDonald said.
“It’s overwhelming. We’re incredibly touched.”
The bags are filled with everyday items most of us take for granted – from shampoo and conditioner to tissues and moisturiser – but many of these items are sacrificed when the going gets tough.
“It shows we live in an incredibly generous town,” Mrs McDonald said.
“The bags will be given to women in shelters, women fleeing domestic vionence.
“There’s a very real need… it’s nice to be able to reach out to people in our own backyard who need help and support.”
Support for the cause also came from across all pockets of the region.
Nic Hoy made the trip from Quirindi with 59 donated bags in the boot of her car.
She put a call-out for bags on Facebook on Monday and by the weekend had already bagged up more support than she thought possible.
“I even had a class from Werris Creek School make Christmas cards and I was putting them in (the bags) randomly last night,” she said.
“Everyone who has donated has said it brings them so much joy.
“You never know what’s around the corner, you never know when you might need help.”
Bags can still be dropped off at Joblink Plus until Saturday.
Local businesses also donated some of the items in the handbags.