Old Bags

Start-up Stirling: Bags

Inspired by Jill Adams, the teacher responsible, members of the Interact Club – junior Rotarians - at Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, have taken imaginative action to address the needs of women who do not have enough money to buy items for personal hygiene. Interactors decided to fill handbags rescued from relatives and charity shops with toiletries.  The result was an amazing collection of some 70 handbags given to Linda Sterry, Manager of Start-up Stirling, for distribution.

Linda was delighted with the Interactors efforts.  She emphasised that local women - many from very challenging circumstances – may have to choose between feeding their children and personal care. As parents know, children's needs come first and often these women are put into humiliating and awful situations as a result. Many women have to resort to shoplifting when they need feminine items and this has caused some women to end up in even worse circumstances.

Jill Adams, replying to a question about the inspiration for this initiative said:

“My Auntie Catherine was a huge inspiration to me in terms of her positivity and determination to get things done, and after I saw the film I, Daniel Blake I decided that I would definitely do something - in her name.

I called on all of my friends, family and colleagues to get a collection going, and the Interact Club of QVS joined with me to MAKE A DIFFERENCE - Which is our Motto!

I wanted to call it Bags Of Dignity after seeing what Katie's character in Daniel Blake went through - and how her situation had stripped her of her dignity.

It has taken two weeks of publicising it among my friends and family to get all of these bags, together with their contents, and I feel humbled by people's kindness and generosity

I really believe in 'Paying it Forward' and hope that this small effort can make someone's day who is having a difficult time and struggling with challenges that many of us will never have to face”