The family of a British backbacker murdered in New Zealand has donated 300 care bags filled with toiletries to staff and patients at hospitals and care homes caught up in the coronavirus outbreak.

Grace Millane, from Wickford in Essex, was killed in Auckland on the night before her 22nd birthday in December 2018 by a man she had met on dating site Tinder.

Her cousin Hannah O’Callaghan told Sky News “We just wanted to give an act of kindness to the NHS and care workers in this difficult time, to thank them for everything they are doing, and also COVID-19, ICU and critical care patients who sometimes arrive without anything and family aren’t able to visit. Just to show that people care.”

The care packages have gone to staff and patients at Thurrock Hospital, Colchester Hospital, Basildon Hospital, Broomfield hospital, Southend Hospital, St Luke’s Hospice, Bennett Lodge, The Belfry Residential Care Home and Manor Rest Home – all in Essex.

The Love Grace x campaign provides handbags filled with essentials to refuges to help women who often leave a violent situation with just the clothes on their back.

Ms O’Callaghan said: “Initially we wanted to donate 50 bags to our local domestic abuse charity Changing Pathways, but we have since donated over 6,500 to different charities in the UK, US, Canada and there was a national appeal run on our behalf in New Zealand with The Project NZ.

“The bags go to women in refuge, having counselling or attending workshops with the charity. They are acts of kindness to remind these women that they matter.

“As many refuges are closed and not accepting donations due to contamination we decided we wanted to use some of our donations to give to the key workers who are doing an amazing job, and also the patients who arrive without anything.

“This was especially the case at the beginning of lockdown when shops were running low on items and people couldn’t get the basics.

“We wanted to say thank you, and our followers have been 100% behind our initiative to donate to the NHS & care homes.”

She added: “Our drop off points are currently closed, but we hope that if people have been having a spring clean during lockdown, they will keep any handbags, toiletries and unused make up aside and donate when the world returns to some semblance of normality, as unfortunately there will be a greater need for them.”

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