Salford charity launches Christmas campaign to raise awareness of hygiene poverty

A Salford charity has launched a Christmas campaign to raise awareness of hygiene poverty and spread kindness nationwide. 

The campaign ‘Shower People With Kindess’, is encouraging people to join the mission to eradicate hygiene poverty.

Hygiene Bank is a national, people-powered charity, which has partnered with JCDecaux Community Channel for the campaign.

Donations are needed during the cost of living crisis which has increased hygiene poverty.

Project coordinator for the Hygiene Bank Salford, Dawn Lewis, said: “We’ll be looking to give people little Christmas treats as well as the standard shower gel and shampoo so we’re looking for things that we can help them out with that will be a bit interesting. So maybe a little bit of makeup or hand gel.”

The Salford branch was launched just over 12 months ago by volunteers who collect donated hygiene products, and distribute them to people in need.

Dawn Lewis said: “We are set up because hygiene poverty is rife.

“Not only do we supply people with toiletries, we also, in terms of the national hygiene bank, campaign at government level to try and end hygiene poverty.”

Currently 6.5 million people in the UK go without the basic hygiene essentials, and the Salford Hygiene Bank has supported hundreds of people since opening.

Dawn continued: “For me, it’s mainly, the basic necessities.

“The shampoo, the deodorant, the conditioner and the shower gel, those are the big things.

“It’s the people who just can’t even afford to buy these things and would choose not to have them in favour of feeding their kids.”

The Salford bank uses four donation points in Greater Manchester; Salford Regent Road, Manchester Fort, Eden Square shopping centre, and Boots in Piccadilly station.

She said: “We have a lot of profile raising to do in the North West essentially.

“I think what we’re going to try and do is maybe do a couple of days where we go and physically sit at the supermarket, tell people about the hygiene bank and what we do.

“And ideally we would like to get our space at some point, but we’re not there yet.”

Donations to the charity can be made here to help tackle the hygiene poverty issue.