Buy some silly socks; a shoe-in to help women in need

Today is a good day to buy - and wear - some silly socks.

Global hotel giant Accor is celebrating Australia's first-ever National Silly Sock Day - a new initiative created in partnership with DV Collective to raise awareness and essential funds for women and children escaping domestic and family violence.

The launch coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which runs from today until December. 10

This year's UN Women theme focuses on digital violence against women, an increasingly urgent issue that affects millions worldwide.

National Silly Sock Day reflects the group's belief in the power of community-led action.

Across Australia, more than 5,000 pairs of limited-edition socks are available for purchase from participating Accor hotels, with all proceeds going directly toward placing additional beds in domestic violence shelters that urgently need support.

Every pair sold helps provide safe nights for women and children when they need it most and helps expand DV Collective's rapidly growing network of shelters, frontline services and counselling organisations.

This year's inaugural Silly Sock design was created by Tshering Gyem from Mercure Perth, whose artwork was selected from entries across the Accor Pacific network.

At the top of the sock, red heart-shaped threads weave across the fabric, "symbolising the emotional bonds that connect Accor's teams, guests and partners".

Accor's partnership with DV Collective began earlier this year through the Accor Community Fund, with an initial $20,000 contribution made to support DV Collective's mission of reducing the impact of domestic and family violence in Australia.

The organisation works to eliminate the waitlists and resource shortages that prevent women from accessing safe accommodation, legal support, trauma recovery programmes, counselling and essential materials.

DV Collective now supports more than 300 frontline services nationwide, including 75 women's shelters, and has this year alone contributed an additional 80 beds, representing more than 29,000 safe nights, alongside more than 100,000 donated hygiene and essential items.

With incidents increasing and shelters under extraordinary pressure, their goal for 2026 is to place 500 new beds into the system, a target that National Silly Sock Day will directly contribute to.

Accor's Chief Operating Officer in the Pacific region, Adrian Williams, said the creation of National Silly Sock Day affirmed the hotel group's commitment.

“Domestic violence affects far too many families in Australia, and the lack of safe accommodation is one of the most critical barriers for women and children seeking help." he said.

"National Silly Sock Day is a simple but powerful way for our teams, guests and communities to come together and drive real impact. Every pair purchased brings us closer to ensuring that no woman or child is turned away when they need safety.”

National Silly Sock Day will be held annually on November 25, with a new sock design released each year.

Members of the public can purchase socks or donate directly by visiting dvcollective.org or by purchasing through participating Accor hotels.

Have a glass or two of wine; help save endangered koalas

Prime Monster Scott Morrison and his team of environmental vandals don't give a damn about endangered koala habitats. And many of our state governments show similar disdain for our cute marsupials. 

Fortunately, the Hill-Smith family do care. 

Their Winesmiths cask brand are helping turn the spotlight onto the work done by the Australian Koala Foundation with two of their casks – Cabernet Sauvignon and Dry Rosé - featuring a limited-edition Koala ‘nozzlehead’ tap fixture.

 

One dollar from every specially marked pack sold will be donated to the Quinlans research station and environmental centre in Queensland, dedicated to researching and preserving koala habitats.

 

The 2-litre casks are now available in retail - including Dan Murphy's stores - for a short time for RRP $16.

The effort aims to both generate awareness and raise funds. 

The limited-edition packs of Winesmiths Dry Rosé and Cabernet Sauvignon are adorned with colourful caricature artwork designed by Sydney-based Mulga The Artist, and contain a reusable Koala 'Nozzlehead' tap that can be fixed to the cask.

"We are proud to partner with the Australian Koala Foundation by donating $1 from every specially marked Winesmiths Mulga Pack sold,” says Winesmiths Marketing Manager Jacinta Gibson.

"In the spirit of our ethos, 'sacrifice nothing', we are asking wine consumers to consider the impact of their purchase. Up to 80% less energy is used in the production of cask compared to glass which results in an 82% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions." 

Chair of the Australian Koala Foundation Deborah Tabart OAM says: "funding for projects is always important, but having our message spread to wine lovers will enable more people to think about the conservation of the koala and some of the bigger issues, like deforestation and water management.”

Tabart says an important part of the Foundation's work is preserving trees and forests.

“We have had the ‘No Tree No Me’ slogan since our inception and it says it all. With 85% of the world's forest already destroyed, we, the people, must ensure that we stop deforestation and of course, repair the damage. It's a big job.” 

Tabart has recently released a book titled The Koala Manifesto which details specific actions that will save the koala, its habitat and in turn thousands of other animals, fundamentally changing the relationship people have with nature.