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What is The Hygiene Bank (THB) and what is your role in the charity?
THB is a grassroots, people-powered charity and social movement, grounded in community. We believe it is not right that feeling clean should be a luxury or a privilege for anyone in our society, yet 4.2 million adults in the UK are living in hygiene poverty and cannot afford to stay clean. That is why our network of projects exists – to give people access to the basics they need.
I am the project coordinator at THB Derby. We collect and distribute basic hygiene products to those in need in Derby. Currently, we have three volunteers dedicated to helping those pulled into hygiene poverty in the local area.
- How is THB Derby supporting people in hygiene poverty in the local community?
We currently support nine community partners in the local area, among them local charities, food banks and children’s clothing banks. We support them with the basic hygiene products they need to help them ensure those in need have access to items like soap, shampoo, toothpaste or laundry detergent.
- What can pharmacies do to engage with customers on the issue of hygiene poverty?
Pharmacies can play a pivotal role in addressing hygiene poverty within their communities. They can engage customers on this issue by having a collection box to allow customers to donate hygiene products. They can also help by raising awareness about hygiene poverty and how the lack of basics like moisturiser or soap can affect people’s mental and physical health. And of course, they can also support THB with samples, promotional items and any surplus product.
- What plans does THB Derby have to raise awareness about hygiene poverty?
We raise awareness about hygiene poverty using our social media channels and local outreach campaigns, such as collection days in local supermarkets. Most people don’t know what hygiene poverty is or how it can affect someone’s confidence and mental health, so we are always looking to have conversations about it to help people understand the impact.
Going forwards we would love to expand our network of community partners so we can support more people in need. We would also love to have some more volunteers so we can increase our impact.
- How can readers support THB?
People can donate and volunteer with us if they wish to make a difference to those in need. Visit thehygienebank.com and find out how you can make a tangible difference to the people in our city that need it the most.
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