TIME
Being of service – from sleeping on the Quad to filling a helpful handbag
S leeping under the stars on the Quad to highlight the issue of homelessness in the city and packing essentials into 100 handbags to help domestic violence victims underline the commitment to community service at Christ’s College. For 2023 College Head of Service Elliott Grey, it is all about uniting in service as a school to recognise a diverse community and taking the initiative to support those in need. Along with raising thousands of dollars for the City Mission, the overnight sleep out on the Quad has provided the boys with a small taste of the reality of being homeless and a greater awareness of the trials of life on the streets. “The boys gathered on the College Quad to sow the seeds of a new service tradition – Sleep Out for Homelessness,” Elliott explains. “Our simple goal was to raise awareness and funds for the incredible efforts of the City
Mission to support the homeless across Ōtautahi Christchurch. The students had nothing but warm clothes and a sleeping bag – more than some people living on the streets – in order to strip away the comforts of their life. “It was also a beneficial detox from the busy world that normally surrounded us, with some boys finding it extremely difficult to adjust without their 24-hour access to digital devices. With little sleep because of the cool temperatures and the lack of a pillow and a mattress, the sleep out provided a new perspective on homelessness for all the boys.” Determined to support a wider range of organisations, College boys have also joined forces with St Margaret’s College students to help out with the Love Grace x Handbag Appeal. Filling the Dining Hall, the boys were kept busy packing essential items – such as tissues, toothpaste, and sanitary
products – into handbags for the Christchurch Aunties charity organisation to support the special appeal. The Aunties group mobilises, co-ordinates, and donates to help domestic violence agencies while the Love Grace x Appeal aims to empower victims of domestic abuse in honour of Grace Millane, a young British backpacker killed while visiting New Zealand. Brimming with toiletries, the 100 handbags have been given to women in need of an escape from partner violence or family violence, supplying them with personal items for up to a month to help find safety away from harm at home. Equally, each bag has been packed with much aroha, support, and hope. “The students loved being there, with many talking about how they were inspired by the Aunties, and that ‘all we need are more
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PHILANTHROPY
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