Last updated on July 21st, 2026 at 04:04 pm
Rianna Barnett, Marketing Assistant at smol, shares how spending a day with The Hygiene Bank (THB) Tenterden
deepened her understanding of hygiene poverty, strengthened her connection to smol’s social impact
and showed how small actions create meaningful change.
Although smol and THB work closely through the Donate a Wash scheme (where smol customers can add 30p to their order and donate two laundry capsules), the partnership often operates at a distance from the grassroots work.
That’s why Rianna jumped at the chance to volunteer locally:
“When I heard about the opportunity to volunteer at THB Tenterden, I was very keen to gain a better insight into how everything works.” Rianna Barnett, smol
Rianna and Amy’s first task of the day was completing a stock count at THB Tenterden’s storage facility, and then packing up boxes to deliver to the local food bank. These tasks gave Rianna a deeper understanding of the work of THB Tenterden in the local community, how it is making a tangible difference to real people’s lives and this is all being done by volunteers and the generosity of those donating products.
One of the stand-out lessons from Rianna’s experience was how varied hygiene poverty can be and the fact that anyone can be affected. Amy and the team at THB Tenterden support a wide range of groups in society, including new mothers, elderly people coming out of hospital and the families of primary school students.
Rianna was also pleased to see a selection of products that would be considered ‘luxury’, a reminder that everyone deserves to feel good, and have choice in the products they use, regardless of their circumstances.
“My day felt like a real case of ‘many hands make light work’ and it was very rewarding” Rianna Barnett, smol
Seeing smol’s large‑scale donations flowing directly into local THB projects reinforced the value of the partnership – and the importance of brands stepping up to support their communities.
“If you’re thinking about volunteering with THB, absolutely go for it. It’s rewarding, eye‑opening and helps you understand the issue in a way that changes how you show up at work.” Rianna Barnett, smol
Spotlight on Sarah* – THB Tenterden beneficiary
“Four lots of hygiene essentials is hard to keep up with financially. The girls get excited going through our package – they can have shampoo that suits their hair, their own deodorants, good quality period products.
For me it’s more than that… these parcels are a little metaphorical hug to say someone cares about us, someone sees us.”
This lived experience is the reason volunteering hours matter.
Amy Harris, THB Tenterden Project Co-ordinator and The Hygiene Bank’s Head of Brand and Corporate Partnerships was keen to thank Rianna for her efforts:
“Hosting Rianna was an absolute pleasure – her energy and willingness to get stuck in made a real difference to what we achieved in a short amount of time.”
If your company offers volunteering hours, we’d love to match you to your local THB project, so you can see the impact first-hand. You can find your local project here, as well as many other ways that your business can get involved with The Hygiene Bank.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy