More than 1,000 donated handbags have gone to women facing abuse or hardship in BCP. The appeal now needs a storage hub, volunteers and business help to grow.

A local appeal that has handed more than 1,000 filled handbags to women affected by domestic abuse, homelessness and hardship is looking for a permanent base.

The Love Grace Appeal needs storage space, volunteers and help from local businesses so it can keep going and reach more women, BCP Council said on Friday.

How it works

Residents donate handbags filled with toiletries, everyday essentials and small gifts. BCP Council launched the appeal locally in December 2024, with the national Love Grace campaign. The council says it was the first council in the south of England to do so.

The first bags went out in January 2025. They reach women through partner organisations, which the council lists as:

  • BCHA
  • Dorset Working Women’s Project
  • Hope for Food
  • Sexual Health Dorset
  • Routes to Roots

At the moment, donated bags are driven to Love Grace’s headquarters in Essex to be cleaned, checked and packed, and then brought back to be handed out locally. A volunteer coordinator and her husband have been doing that driving.

The council’s announcement quotes one woman who received a bag: “It honestly felt like Christmas. I felt special.”

What the appeal is asking for

The organisers want:

  • a local community hub with secure storage for handbags and toiletries
  • volunteers who can give a few hours a month to clean, sort, pack and hand out donations
  • businesses that can offer staff volunteering, storage, transport or other practical help
  • more collection points around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, once there is more storage

Cllr Sandra Moore, BCP’s cabinet member for communities and partnerships, said the appeal’s “future growth now depends on finding the right local support”.

What it means for you

  • If your business or group can offer space, transport or volunteers, email the council’s community safety team at SaferBCP@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.
  • If you want to give a bag, the national campaign’s details are on the Love Grace website, which the council’s announcement links to. New local collection points depend on the storage being found.
  • If you or someone you know needs help with domestic abuse, the Safer BCP Partnership lists local and national services at saferbcp.co.uk/domestic-abuse. In an emergency, call 999.

Source: BCP Council, ‘It felt like Christmas’: Love Grace Appeal seeks community support to reach more women, 30 October 2026.