Mandy Catto

Women vicars from Manchester are backing a campaign that aims to provide good quality, correctly fitting bras for homeless women.

North-West leading charity for the homeless and marginalised, the Mustard Tree, has paired up with a Manchester lingerie boutique Lucile to launch Bosom Buddies 2010; a campaign that aims to provide good quality, correctly fitting bras for women who would otherwise have to go without.

A recent survey revealed that on average British women own 13 bras but only regularly wear eight of them (One Poll, March 2010). That means a lot of bras are going begging. In fact, that makes about 124 million in total, so a campaign has been launched to get the ‘hands on’ some of those bras to support homeless women across Manchester and the North West of England.

Supported by the Diocese of Manchester, the campaign has started to encourage ladies to have a rummage through their drawers and the appeal is to bring in, or post, any bras they can spare to the Mustard Tree Charity (110 Oldham Road, Manchester M4 6AG) or to Lucile Lingerie Boutique (Police Street, Manchester M2 7LQ).

Revd Jan Harney, long time friend to Activate, is delighted to back up and support the campaign. She said: “Women come in all shapes and sizes, beautifully crafted by a God who loves each one of us and has called us to love and care for each other in practical as well as emotional and spiritual ways. Giving away surplus money and clothing to others in need is our response to humanity using Jesus’ example, yet for some reason, many of us hold onto our bras. Perhaps we’re too shy to hand them in? Or just waiting for the day we can fit into them again? But someone else living an itinerant lifestyle is in need of the particular dignity that well-fitting underwear brings. It’s another of life’s little mysteries. We can’t explain it really, but we know the difference it makes to our confidence”.

Revd Jan Harney continues: “So come on girls, please, we urge you. Whether your spare bras are ‘itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny’ or more of the ‘over-shoulder-boulder-holder’ style, a sister out there will be blessed by them”.

Perhaps you could take half an hour to declutter your underwear drawer and pop the spares into the post. Or you could galvanise your female friends and have a ‘Bosom Buddies’ get together where you provide wine and nibbles and your friends arrive for the evening with their spare bras ready to pop into a group gift-box to post the following morning.

It was a well publicised blunder that caused a huge stir in the media. Gordon Brown, while campaigning for the then forthcoming General Election, got into his car and unfortunately for him his microphone was still in. He commented on a conversation he had just had with a member of the public and referred to her as a bigot. I have to confess that unlike the media I felt sorry for Gordon Brown. Not because of what he said, that was clearly very wrong, but because I do similar things on a regular basis. I just don’t have a microphone on and get caught! What struck me about this episode was how often in the privacy of my own home or muttered under my breath I have said something that I too would be mortified if that person heard. How many of us have sent a text or email to the wrong person accidently in which there were comments you regret? How many times have I had conversations about someone and changed the conversation quickly as they approach! Please don’t judge me too much, this doesn’t happen often! However God has really challenged me on this. It struck me that whatever I say or write, even in private, should always be something I am prepared to say to someone’s face. I have always known this, but sometimes it takes someone else’s very public, very embarrassing mistakes to serve as a timely reminder! Colossians 4 v 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace…

Saturday night at the last two Activate weekends away in Coventry were hugely succesfull thanks to the talents of singer/songwriter Becky Higg. She blends together a mellow programme of guitar playing, meaningful lyrics, laid back chat and fantastic Katie Melua-like singing.
The Activate group in Wimborne Dorset have booked Becky to come on Saturday 22nd May to a Girls Night Out event. There are spaces for any other Activate supporters and their friends – please contact the Activate web address if you want tickets at £5 each, including drinks and nibbles.