Grace Millane's family donate Covid 19 care packages in memory of Grace

The family of Grace Millane (above) have donated care bags to coronavirus workers in memory of their daughter. Photo / File

Grace Millane's family has given hundreds of care packages to patients, nurses, doctors and carers battling coronavirus.

The family of the murdered British backpacker has donated more than 300 bags full of toiletries to hospitals and care homes across Essex, the BBC reports.

Her cousin Hannah O'Callaghan said it was nice to be doing "something so positive" in her name.

"We've had so many messages thanking us, it's been lovely to read them as a family. It is helping us get through some difficult times and given us a purpose," she told the BBC.

The family set up a campaign called Love Grace x, focused on domestic abuse victims, before the coronavirus pandemic.

It had already donated 6500 handbags packed with toiletries to refuges across the world, including many in New Zealand.

The bags are delivered with a tag which has Grace's handwriting and a flower that she drew, on one side. Photo / BBC

The BBC story has been posted on the Love Grace x Facebook page with the message: "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

A wonderful article from the BBC today, Hannah doing a superb job with interviews, as always!! If you've got any...

Posted by Love Grace x on Saturday, 9 May 2020

The BBC said seven family members have been involved, including Gillian Millane, Grace's mother.

O'Callaghan told the British broadcaster: "Grace would have been really proud of us. She would have wanted to get involved. She was more like a little sister to me than a cousin. She was very family-orientated and we had so many happy times together as a family.

"I'm a geography teacher and she loved to travel, we had that in common. She was very good at art, so it was important to us to reflect that on the tags."

The bags are delivered with a tag that says "Love Grace x" in Grace's handwriting and a flower that she drew. The other side has a note explaining what happened to her and more about the initiative.

Tags have a note explaining what happened to Grace and more about the initiative. Photo / BBC

Domestic abuse victims have been in touch with the family to thank them. Many had to leave home in a rush and had no toiletries, and others had never owned a handbag before, O'Callaghan said.

"We want to go back to concentrating on refuges when this is over. Domestic violence is rising during the lockdown, and I think the handbags will be needed more than ever.

"We are asking people who might be having a spring clean to keep their old handbags and take them to one of our collection points when restrictions are lifted," she said.