“It’s embarrassing in this day and age to have to choose between heating your home, feeding your kids and keeping yourself clean and hygienically healthy.”
Hygiene poverty is undermining the nation’s physical and mental health - help us change that. If you hate hygiene poverty too, then support us this National Hygiene Week.
What is hygiene poverty? It’s not being able to afford basic hygiene essentials like shampoo, laundry detergent or deodorant. Products that most of us take for granted.
The reality of low income is that it has an impact on mental health and restricts people’s lives, leaving them caught between being able to heat their homes, pay rent, eat or be clean.
At The Hygiene Bank, we believe that everyone deserves to feel clean and everyone deserves the self-worth and confidence that comes from being able to keep yourself and your family clean. That is why our network of local projects exists – to give people access to the basics they need.
Together, we’re building a movement to reach the 4.2 million individuals and families across the UK who are living in poverty and unable to afford these basic items – the toothpaste, detergent and soap - we all rely on in our day to day lives.
From 7-13 October, we are asking people to donate, raise awareness and start conversations about hygiene poverty. Will you help us?
Donate now to help us achieve our goal of a future where hygiene poverty no longer exists.
Your gift will enable us to continue to provide basic hygiene essentials to those in your local community who have been pulled into hygiene poverty and will help us end hygiene poverty, once and for all.
It’s more than feeling clean - your donations mean we can support young people to stay in school, help families in refuges to start again, boost confidence for individuals attending job interviews and allow older people to be independent.
- £150 could give one of our local projects access to a storage space for a month
- £50 can supply toothpaste and toothbrushes for a school to support pupils and their families
- £25 can pay for a monthly emergency care package for a mom and her two children living in a refuge
- £10 could supply laundry detergent and cleaning products for a family of four for a month
It’s easy to donate your unused toiletries, cleaning products and samples to a family in need. Toothpaste, a pack of nappies, a deodorant or shower gel can make a huge difference - helping a child to go to school with clean teeth and uniform, or giving your neighbour the confidence to go out and see their family.
Did you know that nearly half of those pulled into hygiene poverty are too embarrassed to ask for help? Your support will enable us to continue to provide basic hygiene essentials to those in your local community who have been pulled into hygiene poverty and will help us build a future where hygiene poverty no longer exists.
Your support can make a difference to children like Ahmed*
‘My dad lost his job and money has been so tight. We can just about afford food at the minute and have been using food banks. I have been washing my clothes in soap liquid and using it to wash my body. Things are so bad we haven't been able to buy toilet roll.
I am so self conscious at school. One of my friends made a comment. When I saw The Hygiene Bank poster at school I was a little scared to go in but thought things can’t get any worse than this - I just went for it. Staff were so lovely, they gave me everything I needed. They even dropped me home with the bags.
I have now also been assigned a keyworker who will help me with school work and anything else I need. I have also been attending a local youth club. I like playing pool and don’t mind mingling with people now. As I know I am clean, I am just the same as everyone else.'