July 25, 2023
Our partnership with Woven Earth has officially helped deliver over 1,000 brand new pillows (1,320, in fact) to families escaping violence and rebuilding their lives in Tāmaki Makaurau.
In October, BedsRus will be celebrating 4 years of working in collaboration with Woven Earth. Through our partnership we aim to have a positive impact on the lives of families escaping violence, providing them with some dignity and comfort to face their next challenges.
It’s no secret that getting out of a domestic violence situation is incredibly difficult. But the part you don’t see so much is the aftermath: once survivors have gotten themselves and their family into a safe environment, many need to rebuild their lives—often from scratch.
This is where Woven Earth steps in.
About Woven Earth and BedsRus.
Woven Earth is a community of individuals and businesses with a shared goal: to turn empty houses into homes for those who have fled violence.
At the heart of their service is their community. They depend on volunteers, donations, and businesses to join them in their mahi.
Read more about Woven Earth here.
What makes our partnership with Woven Earth so impactful is an alignment of values: BedsRus' mission to promote wellbeing through quality sleep mirrors Woven Earth's objective of affording dignity and support to change lives of survivors and their children.
“As the need for our service has increased over the nearly 4 years of our partnership, so too has the relationship with BedsRus had to evolve along with us,” says Woven Earth Founder and CEO, Kerryn Thrupp.
“The impact of the partnership is on a financial, physical and emotional level."
“BedsRus enables us to uphold our promise that every single life receives a brand new pillow. The pillows are a critical piece to what we offer in our service of furnishing the homes and lives of families who have made the brave decision to break free of violence. It also upholds our core values of dignity to the families, to every single life in the family including the children who also have walked this same path alongside their parent.”
Stories that Fuel Our Work.
The partnership between Woven Earth and BedsRus has brought dignity and comfort to vulnerable families escaping violence, offering them the opportunity to rebuild their lives and create a home to heal and build from.
“At Woven Earth we do not discriminate against any one or any community and remove judgement from our service in order to ensure that we do not add another layer of systems abuse and stigma to survivors of family violence,” says Thrupp.
Witnessing tears of gratitude and relief as families enter their fully furnished homes, the team proudly points out the brand new items, with special emphasis on the pristine, packaged pillows waiting just for them.
One mother's emotional response, clutching her new pillow and expressing her anticipation of a restful night's sleep, encapsulates the profound impact this partnership has on the lives of survivors.
The Power of a Pillow.
Woven Earth emphasises the importance of donated items being new or like new: the kinds of things those donating would like to have in their own homes.
“The journey into a home is not an easy one,” says Thrupp. “Most families we support have spent many months in refuge, emergency housing or temporary accommodation on a bed that is not theirs with bedding, pillows and possessions that are borrowed or used by other people in similar trauma.”
“The best part of the partnership is being able to afford families the dignity of a brand new pillow.
“A brand new sacred pillow all of their own. This is a vital part to the Woven Earth service where the pillow often signifies the very first thing they have been given that is new and just for them after fleeing violence.”
There’s Still Heaps More to Do.
As we celebrate this beautiful milestone, we’re also looking ahead to what more needs to be done.
The collaboration with BedsRus is held in high regard by Woven Earth, as it guarantees that an essential aspect of their service—providing new pillows—is consistently upheld.
However, they emphasise the need for continued support from the community:
“We are seeing huge growth as a small grass roots charity but to have a big brand like BedsRus championing us along with a brand new pillow for every life we help we can meet the need and grow with confidence knowing that this part of service will be upheld” says Thrupp.
To further expand their reach and transform more lives, Woven Earth encourages individuals to join their community, follow them on social media, and become regular givers. They also call on businesses with new products to follow the example set by BedsRus and offer practical support, as community involvement remains vital in their mission.
By providing brand new pillows, Woven Earth ensures that survivors receive more than a place to rest their heads—they are given a sense of worth, respect, and the knowledge that they are not alone. As the partnership continues to grow, it serves as a reminder of the power of collaboration in creating lasting change.
Are you in a position to help? You can donate items, time, or money. If you own a business that includes home furnishings, you can also start a new partnership. Check out the ways you can help here.
