Collecting 1,000 bras and knickers for charity

Diana Page sent out her first two boxes containing 129 bras and 23 knickers on Saturday

A volunteer is hoping to collect 1,000 bras and knickers for people in need in the UK and Africa.

Diana Page, who lives in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, aims to get the used but laundered underwear pieces by Christmas in support of charity Smalls for All.

Ms Page said the donations allowed girls to stay in school and women to remain in the workforce, improving their chances of breaking free from poverty.

She started in March and sent out her first two boxes containing 129 bras and 23 knickers to the charity on Saturday.

Ms Page came across the charity at a Women's Institute meeting.

"There was a couple doing a talk on the Mercy Ships that travel around Africa and they also did a short update on the Smalls for All," she said.

“It never occurred to me that women and girls miss school and work because they don’t have underwear."

She said the talk had lasted only about 15 minutes but it had "captured" her.

"It hit me - we all have bras that we just don’t wear anymore."

To date, the charity has collected and redistributed more than 2.2 million nearly new laundered and new bras and knickers.

It says that the gesture "can make a life-changing difference".

On its website, Smalls for All says that "many teenage girls miss school and women miss work because having no pants means they’re forced to stay at home during their period".

Ms Page added that it was also "a matter of dignity for everyone".

She said the main countries in need in Africa are Zambia, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Gambia.

"And I had no idea there are so many UK charities that also need bras and knickers," she added.

Ms Page is continuing to work on her Christmas goal and is asking people to contribute via her social media.

“I’ve never done anything like this. I like it," she said.