Meet David*. Through no fault of his own, he found himself pulled into hygiene poverty. He used to have a steady job and reliable income, and didn’t give a second thought to providing for his family.
However, he relied on his car for work, and when it unexpectedly broke down and would cost a lot of money to repair, David found his stable and certain world suddenly unravelling. He couldn’t take on work that involved him driving there, meaning that he didn’t have enough money to repair the car, and other bills began to stack up as well. He had to make decisions about whether to pay these bills, provide food for his family or ensure that everyone had the basic hygiene products they needed to participate in society.
David was enveloped in feelings of shame and embarrassment. His mental health plummeted, and he couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. He became part of the 50% of people affected by hygiene poverty who reported having anxiety or depression^.
One day, he decided to clear his head by walking into his local village of Takeley, in rural Essex, and found himself chatting with a member of staff from his daughter’s school. His story came tumbling out, about how he felt isolated in the rural area without his car, how he was worried about being able to provide period products for his wife and 10-year-old daughter and how he felt like he had been suffering in silence.
The school staff member told him about The Hygiene Bank (THB) Takeley, and how they worked with the school. Donations from THB Takeley meant that the school were able to provide families with parcels of essential hygiene products that enabled children to have clean school uniforms, parents to feel presentable for job interviews and women to confidently manage their periods.
David and his family started receiving these parcels soon afterwards, and with tears in his eyes, he told the same staff member at the school a few months later: “You gave me more than toiletries. You gave me hope.”
The incredible force behind THB Takeley is Valerie Lolomari MBE, and this International Women’s Day, we are delighted to be spotlighting her work in the community and the incredible difference she and the team are making.
Valerie started THB Takeley three years ago, as a response to seeing how many people in her local community struggled with affording hygiene essentials. She also runs a national charity supporting women and their families and was stunned to regularly meet parents who couldn’t afford shampoo for their children, and were managing their periods with inadequate materials.
“The Hygiene Bank gave structure to something that was already in my heart. It provided a practical way to restore dignity, one small but powerful item at a time.” Valerie, THB Takeley founder
Valerie’s care and thought for her local community mean that the team have supported hundreds of individuals and families through the schools, food banks, community groups, women’s organisations and frontline professionals they work with.
The qualitative impact that THB Takeley has had is immense – Valerie is brimming with stories of children now being able to go to school clean, confidence and happiness increasing, community spirit in the village building. In her words, “the project is simple in structure, but profound in impact.”
This has been achieved by building strong relationships with, and listening to, local partners, schools and referral agencies, as well as creating a trusted presence for those individuals who are struggling and know they have somewhere to turn without shame.
No two days are the same for Valerie and the team, as they co-ordinate collecting product donations from drop-off points, sorting them and distributing them as parcels to Community Partners.
“Behind every bag packed is a story. The work is practical, but it is also deeply human.” Valerie, THB Takeley founder
When we spoke to Valerie, the word that repeatedly came into our conversation was ‘dignity’: she told us, “What I love most about running the project is restoring dignity to people’s lives”. Valerie was keen to tell us about Ada*, one of the earliest beneficiaries of THB Takeley’s work. Ada told one of THB’s Community Partners: “I cried when I received the bag. It may seem small to others, but to me it meant I could send my children to school without worrying”. These words have stayed with Valerie and have become a reminder that preserving dignity is not insignificant.
Valerie has created a well-valued and respected local project that has had, and continues to have, an impact that is changing the lives of local people. She also is pleased to be part of the wider organisation, as this gives strength and credibility to their local work and amplifies the voices of local coordinators at a national level.
Have you been inspired by Valerie’s story and feel that you could make a difference to people in your local community too? Whether you have the capacity to start a new project, volunteer with an existing one, or provide remote support, there’s something for everyone. 4.2 million adults in the UK that have been pulled into hygiene poverty^ will be eternally grateful. Take a look at how you can get involved here: https://thehygienebank.com/volunteer/volunteering-roles/
*Story is based on real case studies and names have been changed to preserve privacy
^The Hygiene Bank Research Report, 2024
