A ferry decorated with hundreds of bras sailed through Bristol to celebrate the success of a campaign that has seen a tonne of unwanted bras donated by residents to help the women of Sierra Leone.

The Bristol Soroptimists decorated the ferry to celebrate International Women's Day on Monday and demonstrate the success of the Bra Bra Bristol campaign.

Over the past year, 100 sacks full of unwanted bras have been donated by the women of Bristol and the surrounding area.

For this tonne, a recycling firm will give £500 towards Soroptimist International's Project Sierra – a Family and a Future, which helps women in Sierra Leone to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of war.

To celebrate the milestone and to thank all the women who donated their old bras, Bristol ferry Brigantia, liberally festooned with bras, was loaned to the Soroptimists and toured Bristol Harbour.

The ferry sailed around the harbour with a focus on Pero's Bridge, to coincide with the international Women on the Bridge event on Monday, a global initiative to promote peace.

Soroptimist International Bristol president Sue Perry said: "We are thrilled with the ultimate success of this project which, after a whole year, has increased awareness of the plight of women in Sierra Leone by raising £500 towards rebuilding their lives.

"Above all, we would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has contributed – schools, businesses, clubs and churches and endless individual women: without you, none of this would have happened."

Founded in 1921, Soroptimist International is a worldwide organisation for women in management and the professions, working through projects to advance human rights and the status of women.

For more information, visit www.bristolsorop.org.uk.