Women blessing Women this Christmas

2508 Salvos Mission Leader, Lauren Martin (left) and Body Shop at Home consultant, Lee (centre), deliver donated pamper packs to Sue at the 2508 Hope Community Pantry

Several hundred women in Sydney City, the Illawarra and the Sutherland Shire who are facing a tough Christmas will be blessed with a special gift this year, thanks to a small community of women south of Sydney.

The ‘Body Shop for a Cause’ party was a dream of Body Shop at Home consultant, Lee, nine years ago when she moved to the small community of Helensburgh south of Sydney. “I wanted to give back to our local Hope Community Food Pantry in some way,” she says. “So, I approached one of the volunteers, Lauren, to find out how.”

Since that initial conversation, Lee and Lauren Martin – now 2508 Salvos Mission Leader – have partnered to host the “Body Shop for a Cause” party for the past eight years. Lauren hosts the party at her home, as a personal passion, and cooks up a storm of desserts for woman who attend. For every purchase made at the party, host rewards are generated, which are used to purchase luxurious Body Shop pamper packs which are gifted to agencies that support women in need at Christmas time.

Every year, packs are delivered to the Hope Church 2508 Hope Community Pantry, and Lauren Martin says it’s a joy to be able to be part of a community where locals help other locals. “Our small town is very much like a village. If there is a need, people rally to support. It’s an incredible blessing to live and minister in such a caring community.”

Packs are also delivered to Carinya Womens Services, The Salvation Army’s homelessness and domestic violence service in the Illawarra. Manager, Sonya Button, says every time a woman enters the service, a pamper pack is placed on their bed to let them know they are loved and valued. “It’s more significant a gift than people realise,” she says.

“Many of the women who enter our service haven’t received a gift in years. They have little to no self-worth and they are going through what is usually the hardest time of their lives. The Body Shop gifts are a beautiful blessing.”

The Salvation Army’s Samaritan Services in Sydney city are also recipients of the blessing, with the pamper packs being given to women experiencing homelessness who are staying at the service over Christmas time.

Over the years, thousands of dollars’ worth of pamper products have been donated, with more than 200 pamper packs given away this year alone.

Lauren and Lee say the ‘Body Shop for a Cause’ party is one of the highlights of their year. One of the attendees this year agreed, saying, “The Body Shop for a Cause party is the perfect way to make all women feel loved and supported. The small gift of giving can make such an impact to women in need of support.”

If you would like to help people in need in your local community this Christmas, you can make a donation here: Give to Shire Salvos Or why not drop a gift under the K-Mart Wishing Tree?