Lesley Elliot. Photo: Supplied
Dunedin domestic violence campaigner Lesley Elliot has died.
The founder of the Sophie Elliott Foundation died on Sunday at age 76.
Mrs Elliot had been a vocal advocate for abuse awareness since her daughter Sophie Elliot, then a 22-year-old student, was stabbed to death by her former boyfriend in 2008.
Following the death of her daughter, Mrs Elliot set up the foundation to raise awareness of the signs of domestic violence.
She travelled across New Zealand delivering talks to community groups and schools.
She wrote two books on the issue, Sophie's Legacy and Loves Me Not - How to Keep Relationships Safe, and tens of thousands of copies were given away.
She was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015.
The foundation closed in 2019 as Mrs Elliot stepped away due to Parkinson's disease.
Police continued the work of the foundation with the Loves-Me-Not programme following the closure.
An obituary will follow.
- This story was first published on the Otago Daily Times