Lakeside Primary School, in Tamworth, Staffordshire, has many pupils from families in financial hardship. This is for a variety of reasons – lack of employment, poor mental health, a rise in the cost of living, among others.
To support these families, Lakeside approached The Hygiene Bank (THB) Tamworth where Marie and her team from THB Tamworth were pleased to be able to help.
“The best part of being involved in this charity is being able to provide real practical support that people really need.” – Marie, THB Tamworth
Lakeside Primary School receive deliveries with items ranging from washing up liquid, toilet roll, washing powder, nappies and wipes, shampoo and bubble baths, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
The school also hosts termly coffee mornings, where parents and carers can bring a bag and choose their own hygiene products, which helps them to feel less embarrassed and more empowered to take control. The school also has an open-door policy, where families can ask for a range of hygiene products to help them until their next pay day.
“This service makes me feel less of a failure and means that I can continue to care for my children, making sure they are healthy and clean.” – service user
This service is enabled by THB Tamworth, who support 32 Community Partners overall, including Citizens Advice, schools, nurseries and Home-Start.
THB Tamworth started small and has grown into the success story it is today. Marie approached The Hygiene Bank after seeing an article about THB founder, Lizzy Hall MBE, and felt that this was something she could get involved with. The project started off small, using Marie’s own garage with some shelves and a few small donations and Marie was initially nervous that people might not use the service.
Marie has a very varied role as a Project Co-ordinator – along with her team, tasks include making packs and parcels for Community Partners (such as Lakeside), collecting donations, monitoring stock levels and applying for grants. Marie has also spent a lot of time talking to people about what they do, to raise their profile.
The need for products in the area is wide ranging – as THB Tamworth supports 24 schools, they’re often asked for baby wipes. Other regular products that the team are asked for are shampoo, shower gel, toilet roll, period products and nappies.
“We’re incredibly fortunate and grateful that the people of Tamworth support us so generously!” – Marie, THB Tamworth
There is hugely positive feedback for the work that Marie and THB Tamworth do. One particular story from a local school stood out to Marie, which she shared:
“Your support means such a lot to our families – a lot of them are working but have low incomes and money is tight. Help with hygiene products leaves more money for food and other essentials. Also, many of our children are more difficult to keep clean – lots of them are incontinent and need to have baths more often, which creates more washing.”
Marie is equally as complimentary about THB and fellow project Co-ordinators: “There’s a huge amount of support available, and other Project Co-ordinators generously share their experience, knowledge and ideas. If you’re thinking about starting a project, go for it!”
Have you been inspired by this story? Find out more about volunteering in your local area.
