Warmer Waitaki co-ordinator Laura Campbell-Cowan is one of five women who have started a small community curtain bank in their spare time to help local households living in cold homes without curtains.
"We’re working with Family Works who refer people to us," she said.
"It’s early days but we all know the difference something as simple as curtains can make to heating a home.
"We’ve had some great support to get off the ground, including from Stronger Waitaki and the Waste Minimisation Fund, which we’re really grateful for."
The group make curtains from donated material for families referred to them through Family Works and have just completed their first referral order.
"We’re excited to have a Curtain Bank available in Oamaru, and that we can now access this service for our Family Works EnergyMate clients," Family Works general manager Nicole Devereux said.
"In the past, we have had to get creative in sourcing curtains — sometimes even reaching out to the Dunedin Curtain Bank.
"While curtains are not a formal requirement under the Healthy Homes Standards, we know from our EnergyMate Programme that a significant amount of heat is lost through uncovered windows," she said.
"Having access to the Curtain Bank enables us to help households stay warmer and more energy efficient, which makes a real difference during the colder months," she said.
People can drop off clean, mould-free curtains to the following Oamaru locations:
- Guthrie Bowron;
- Waitaki Interiors;
- Carpet Court.
