Christmas countdown: the Spinning Top charity

When I met up with the lovely Ansonia - PR for the Body Shop New Zealand – for a coffee recently, my eyes were immediately drawn to the beautiful wooden necklace she had on in the shape of a spinning top. “They are part of a charity initiative we’re supporting,” she explained, “and they are for sale in all of our stores and at Starfish. Let me put you in touch with them.”
Before long I was chatting with talented photographer Patrick Shepherd, one of the key figures behind the aforementioned charity, which is known as SpinningTop. Based in Wellington, SpinningTop exists to give balance to vulnerable children living in extreme poverty, whose lives have been thrown off balance through war, oppression, natural disaster and circumstances beyond their control. “We believe given the right balance of forces - Education, Nutrition, Shelter and Play - these children will be empowered to become contributing members of society, free from poverty,” they say, and you can help by doing as little as purchasing one of their beautiful necklaces (and now, earrings).
SpinningTop is currently working along the perilous Thai/Burma border with children who have been forced by the oppressive military regime to flee their homeland of Burma. In the next twelve months they will also be exploring the needs of vulnerable children a little closer to home in the South Pacific region, where in some cases the situation can be almost as dire.
“The children we currently support come from extreme poverty, living in the most basic of homes, constructed mostly of bamboo, rice sacks for flooring, running water some distance from the home and maybe two changes of clothes if they are lucky,” explains Pat. “Toys are a rarity, unless you consider rubber bands toys, which do in fact provide hours of entertainment for them.” It’s fitting then that one of the simplest of toys – the spinning top – has become this very worthy initiative’s name and is key to the jewellery design, which I heartily recommend as a gift to oneself and your nearest and dearest this Christmas. The necklace and the earrings both retail for $35.00 and are all New Zealand made, so you can feel good as well as look great all at the same time. If that doesn’t make for a merry festive season I don’t know what does!

SpinningTop necklaces and earrings are available at The Body Shop, as well as all Starfish stores (Ponsonby, Newmarket and Wellington) and online here.