If you’ve just replaced your curtains, and are not quite sure what to do with the perfectly fine old ones, then have we got the story for you.

A Curtain Bank has started in Ōamaru, where people can donate their old, clean curtains in good condition, to be reused by people in need.

The Curtain Bank is an off-shoot of Warmer Waitaki, co-ordinator Laura Campbell-Cowan says. 

“We're basically on a mission to try and get curtains in people's houses that don't have them. Because as much as it's a legal requirement to make sure your house can be heated, it's not to keep the heat in, which seems counter-productive,” she says.

“We're asking for donations of clean, emphasis on clean, non-mouldy curtains. Curtains that you'd be happy to have in your home, basically.”

The initiative has taken a couple of months to get off the ground, and Laura says she was “dobbed in” for her role by House of Breakthrough pastor Damien Goodsir, “knowing that I’m an organisation queen”.

The group has been supported through funding from the Waste Minimisation Fund and with extra help and support from Stronger Waitaki, both of which have been incredible, Laura says.

“The Curtain Bank in Dunedin has also helped us get on our feet as well, and just show us how things work. They're a really long-running group.” 

Referrals to the bank come through Family Works, and the group of volunteers was working on their first referral earlier this month, when they spoke to the Waitaki App. 

Laura is told what a household requires, and the group works to fill that need with the curtains they have available.

“The referral that we've got at the moment, she's got three bedrooms and none of them have curtains in them.”

“I think I added up, it's about 20 metres of curtains for this referral.”

They prepare the curtains to fit the spaces, and then hand them over. There is no contact between the curtain bank and the recipient of the curtains. It is all done anonymously.

“Just privacy reasons for both parties,” Laura says.

Laura says because they are only a small group volunteering their time, it is a matter of doing what they can, when they can.

“If that means we can only do one a month, we do one a month.”

The Curtain Bank is not only helping people keep their homes warmer, it is also reducing the waste which goes to landfill.

They weigh all the curtains that come in, and will weigh any waste as well.

“And then once we calculate that all, we'll be able to then be like, ‘sweet, we've saved this amount of curtains from landfill potentially’, because some people would just throw them out.” 

While the Curtain Bank is grateful for donations, they need the curtains in ready-to-use condition.

“We're all semi-retired slash working mums, so we don't have time to be going down to the laundry and doing all the washing. 

“Some of them, if all they need is a wash, then okay, we'll weigh it up, but we would rather not have to.”

Laura says if anyone has a bit of free time, they are always looking for more helpers too. 

“You don’t have to be able to sew. It’s just measuring to detail, that kind of thing, if someone wants to take the time.”

While the volunteers work out of the House of Breakthrough hall on Ure Street, the group is not affiliated with the church, and anyone is welcome, she says.

Laura says she got involved because she attends the church, and Damien knew she had her own sewing business in the past.

He asked her to attend a meeting about getting it off the ground, knowing that, despite already having a lot going on, she wouldn’t be able to keep her hand down to volunteer.

“Then it sort of just happened, and I feel like I'm doing reasonably well at delegating to everybody so that then I can just disappear into my studies . . . but I like being able to help people.

“We'll eventually all know what our role is, and I think if no one was going to do it, then it would be sad. Because no one should have to go through winter, worrying that their kids are going to sleep and getting cold . . . and winter's hard enough without going to bed cold.”

Curtain donations can be dropped off at Ōamaru businesses Guthrie Bowron, Waitaki Interiors and Carpet Court. For anyone wanting to volunteer at the Curtain Bank, email Laura at [email protected]