Haylee – a volunteer with the Share the Dignity charity – organised a drive in Parkes during the month of August, seeking donations of women’s sanitary and personal products from local businesses.

She set up several collection points in Parkes and Forbes, and was blown away to receive 537 donations from 10 different organisations.

“I also had other businesses dropping off donations at drop-off points,” Haylee said.

Haylee delivered the donations personally to CentaCare in Parkes at the end of September who are distributing the products to hundreds of their clients.

“It’s just phenomenal,” CentaCare team leader Keren Barker said.

“We’re so grateful for any donations we can get – not only will this help our clients but we can also send some donations to Bourke because they don’t get many donations.

“It’s a necessity for women.

“We’re very appreciative for the work Haylee has done and the community for getting behind it.”

Haylee said the final outcome of the drive and the amount of local support she received really gave her a sense of accomplishment.

“I was expecting to collect two bags but to have 537 in my first time doing this is amazing,” she said.

“I didn’t realise how many there were at first, I was just stacking them up at home.

“It wasn’t until I began bagging them that I counted them.

“I’m looking forward to my next drive.”

Haylee will organise a local drive of Share the Dignity’s initiative ‘It’s in the Bag’ mid-November.

The initiative is to provide a gift of a little luxury to women experiencing hardship this Christmas.

These little luxuries can include donations of unwanted handbags or backpacks, essential items people take for granted, or a combination of both – unwanted handbags/backpacks full of essential items.