SHARE THE DIGNITY
DOES AMAZING WORK
NATIONALLY AND
INTERNATIONALLY. HOW DO
YOU NAVIGATE THIS?
At times it has been quite
overwhelming to say the least.
I do not come from this type of
background, I’ve never done
anything like this before, but it just
comes down to common sense
and surrounding myself with good
people.
My partner has played a very big
role in the brains trust of Share the
Dignity, we also have a fabulous
board.
I’ve surrounded myself with people
who have skills that I don’t have.
However, networking has been
the key tool for Share the Dignity,
we would not be anywhere we are
without it. Everyone has played
a role in the dignity train, for no
other reason than they believe that
women should have the dignity.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
ISSUE?
It’s not that glorified, I just went
let’s collect some pads and
tampons. I never ever gave it that
much thought. I’d previously
been volunteering for assisted
sisters, where we helped women
and families in refuge. I knew
what women could do, I just knew
what women were capable of.
There is nothing they cannot do,
so collecting pads and tampons
seemed really simple.
10
Women’s Network Magazine
DID YOU EVER IMAGINE THE
SCALE OF THIS CHARITY?
Never in a million years did I
imagine where we would be today.
I never really reflected on it either,
it was always just one step at a
time- how do we do this and how
do we do that. It was always about
the power of women and about how
each person can collectively make
their own difference. I still sit here
known as the pad lady, but without
our sheros in every area across the
country we wouldn’t be able to end
period poverty. Everybody has their
own role to play.
I run on very little sleep. A classic
example; I was in Melbourne for
the high tea with 800 people, I then
flew to Tasmania to speak with the
Minister for Women, I went straight
to the opening of a new pinkbox
vending machine and then met
some of the amazing sheros. I went
to bed at 11pm and had to be up at
4am. I woke up to a message from
a member of our team and it was a
picture of two Aboriginal women
who had received an “it’s in the
bag” donation and the way they
were holding their bags and the
smiles on their faces just made me
think - this is why I do it. It meant
the world to them. I’m very lucky
to hear the stories of how what we
do changes people’s lives. My why
is very different to just building a
business, my why is the smile on
those people’s faces.
HOW DID YOUR ‘AXE THE
TAX’ CAMPAIGN COME
ABOUT AND HOW IS IT
GOING?