A group of Law tauira have put together a roster of fundraising events for Ōtepoti Whānau Refuge. The first of a stacked five-piece line up is a designer clothes sale on the 16th of August, featuring brand new clothes from many iconic labels at up to half price.
Critic Te Ārohi caught up with Abigail Spratt, part of the committee and a driving force behind the upcoming clothes sale. She explained that a group of Law students have been at Ōtepoti Whānau Refuge (rebranded from Women’s Refuge last year) since 2016. Going strong into the 9th year of fundraising, five events now raise over 67k annually – a designer clothes sale, auction, bake sale, quiz night, and band gig.
Each year, the five fundraising events take place during semester two, so as not to clash with the chaos of semester one’s recruitment season in Law. “An interesting part of the campaign is that we intentionally don't plead for volunteers until after law recruitment's over, so that people don't just put it on their LinkedIn, say that they've done it,” Abigail commented. Rest assured that volunteers’ top priority is genuinely helping out a good cause (the LinkedIn post is just an added bonus to impress future employers later on).
The funds raised go towards the Ōtepoti Whānau Refuge, which provides safety and support to families affected by domestic violence around Otago. It currently is the only centre of its kind in the entire Otago region, serving a large catchment spanning hundreds of kilometers.
Taking place each year at 343 George Street (nearby ADJØ), an empty shopfront is kindly donated for the ‘Designer Sample Sale’. Businesses donate old samples, or end of season clothes – all brand new and designer wear. Fashion houses like Flo&Frankie, Dylan Kain, Stolen Girlfriends Club, and Pavement are common mainstays at the yearly sale. It’s great for a stretched student budget too, with discounts of up to 50% up for grabs.
The biggest ticket event is the yearly auction (29th of August this year), particularly appealing to Dunedin’s business community (i.e., living off a bit more than just StudyLink). Businesses and individuals can bid on boujée prizes such as restaurant vouchers or helicopter rides. Other events on the roster include a bake sale at New World Gardens (13th September), a Bog quiz (17th September), and a Dropkicks gig (25th September).
The funds raised each year have a real impact on the organisation. Abigail explained that with the $67k fundraised last year, Ōtepoti Whānau Refuge were able to create a sensory garden and children’s area, giving tamariki impacted by upsetting experiences a chance to just be kids. In the past, things like brand new mattresses and sheets have been bought too. “It’s nice to see a tangible impact,” said Abigail.
The Designer Sample Sale kicks off the five fundraising events on August 16th, with the rest spaced out over the rest of the semester. Information of all the events can be found on the
Ōtepoti-Dunedin Whānau Refuge Fundraising Committee’s Instagram (@whanau_refuge_campaign).