Love your body and make a day of it

JASON OXENHAM/Auckland City Harbour

POSITIVE IMAGE: Eden staff model the fundraising Love Your Body t-shirts, from left, Serafin Dillon, Maree Burns, Louise Stokes, Deb Levy and Jane Tyrer.

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Real beauty is more than stick-thin fashion models.

And positive messages about bodies of all shapes and sizes are needed for a community mural celebrating Love Your Body Day.

The Aotea Square event is run by Eden, the Eating Difficulties Education Network.

Its coordinator Maree Burns says being happy with your body plays a key role in self-esteem.

"A large proportion of young girls have started dieting before the age of 13, and it's becoming an increasing problem for boys and men," she says.

"We'd like to get the message out there that everybody is a role model and it's really important what we say about these issues to our sisters, our daughters, our friends."

Eden provides services for people with eating issues, and education and training for people working in schools.

The Westmere-based group has been running for 14 years.

It gets no public funding and relies on grants and donations from groups including the Vodafone Foundation World of Difference programme.

A series of t-shirts bearing the Love Your Body message have been printed to raise funds.

"It's a way for people to get involved and make a statement, and a fundraiser for Eden," Ms Burns says.

Anyone who attends the Aotea Square event wearing one of the t-shirts will be eligible for spot prizes.

Blank canvases, paint, brushes and overalls will be provided, and suggestions are welcome on where to display the canvases afterwards.

Ms Burns hopes to make the day an annual event.

Love Your Body Day is at Aotea Square from noon to 5pm next Wednesday.

- © Fairfax NZ News