15 Sept 2022
Given the cost of living crisis, our work with The Hygiene Bank has never felt more important.
Here's a quick reminder of what's going on and how you can get involved...
1. donate a wash.
Over 13,000 of you lovely people now support this; helping us send an incredible 60,000 washes to The Hygiene Bank in our latest donation alone.
Activating the donate a wash scheme on your smol plan is easily done by selecting the button via your online account. Turning this option on adds 30p to your smol order each time a smol pack processes. Each 30p means TWO free washes are donated to those living in hygiene poverty on your behalf.
Feedback from one delivery was sobering.
“Thank you! It’s an incredible donation and will help so many people. There were even a few tears from a lady that works at the Food Bank as she is asked so often for washing tablets and the normal answer is NO. It breaks her heart, and now she won’t have to say no.”
2. suds in schools.
The third way to help join with us in fighting hygiene poverty in the UK is to support our Suds in Schools scheme.
This campaign launched in Autumn 2021 with the aim of raising £50,000 to install mini-launderettes into schools across the UK. These machines give families in need free access to laundry facilities and detergent to ensure no child in their care has to suffer from the consequences of not having clean clothes/uniforms.
Each school will be set up with a brand new washing machine/dryer (fully installed) and all the detergent they need to ensure children's clothing can be regularly laundered completely free of charge.
“There is nothing “small” about smol’s efforts to support families in our school. We have engaged with the suds in schools programme from the off and it is already having an impact on the lives of our families.” - Sarah Smith, Exec Head Teacher, St Cuthbert’s Academy, Blackpool.
Of course, it's not always straightforward to set these stations up. It's vital to make sure the machine sits in a suitable area within school property, that families can have easy access without disturbing the school and always ensuring that children are safe-guarded. BUT....we're making huge progress!
With additional generous help from our friends at Samsung we have already installed 28 machines in different schools around the UK and are well on our way to having another 25 installed this Autumn.
If you would like to get involved in any or all of the above activities, then we would LOVE your support.
Hygiene poverty is often "invisible" but affects so many people. Together, our smol actions DO make a huge impact.