The much-anticipated Orange Sky Aotearoa free laundry service is up and running, in partnership with the Salvation Army. The laundry pod, located in the Salvation Army carpark at 160 Crawford St, is operated twice-weekly by community volunteers. It aims to be a place where people experiencing hardship can access clean clothes and also a welcoming space for connection. Last Thursday, about 100 community members, including Dunedin city councillors, representatives of charities, social services, funders and volunteers gathered for the launch of the laundry pod. Orange Sky co-founder and chief executive Lucas Patchett, of Australia, told the gathering that the Dunedin laundry pod was the 10th free laundry service to be launched in New Zealand. Founded in Brisbane in 2014 and New Zealand in 2018, Orange Sky now offered laundry services in 180 locations across the two countries, he said. ‘‘Just as in New Zealand, there is a growing demographic of people in Australia who are doing it tough,’’ Mr Patchett said.…