Council grant helping alleviate hygiene poverty in Romsey
Money from Test Valley Borough Council has helped provide essential household and personal hygiene products to over 750 local families and individuals.
A £1000 Cost of Living grant, coupled with a £1000 Councillor Community grant from the Cupernham ward councillors, have been awarded to the Romsey Hygiene Bank, a grassroots charity working to raise awareness of and help relieve hygiene poverty throughout the Romsey area.
The money has been used to buy essential and much-needed personal hygiene items such as shampoo, hair conditioner, shower gel and deodorant for adults and nappies, nappy cream, baby/children's shampoo, baby and children’s body wash and bubble bath for babies and children. The charity has also been able to purchase essential household hygiene products including toilet rolls, washing up liquid and laundry detergent.
Hygiene Poverty is defined as being unable to access or afford the personal and household hygiene products needed to keep individuals, families and homes feeling clean. Hygiene Poverty is often hidden and very oppressive. It blocks routes out of poverty by restricting access to education, employment and healthcare opportunities. The most notable impact of hygiene poverty is a detrimental impact on mental health.
Cupernham Ward Councillors Councillor Kohli and Councillor Gwynne attended a collection day for the Hygiene Bank at Waitrose in Romsey.
Cllr Rohit Kohli said: “The shame and stigma associated with hygiene poverty often prevents people from asking for help. Children who live in families who suffer from hygiene poverty lose confidence and can be bullied.”
Cllr Neil Gwynne added: “We’re delighted to be able to help and to enable a better supply of readily available personal and household hygiene products at food banks, pantries, schools and other community organisations in the Romsey area. It’s important that we help relieve hygiene poverty and reduce its negative impact on children and adult’s mental health.”
Working under the umbrella of national charity The Hygiene Bank, the Romsey team works alongside community partners such as Romsey Food Bank and Baby Necessities to distribute items to those in need.
Feedback from community partners in Romsey show that the council grants have helped more than 500 individuals via the Romsey Food Bank and at least another 250 families and mums-to-be through Baby Necessities.
Lynne Gibson, Project Coordinator at The Hygiene Bank, Romsey, said:
“As a small charity, powered entirely by volunteers, we are reliant on grants such as these to buy much needed items which are either not donated or donated in insufficient quantities to meet the needs of our Community Partners.
“The grants have been invaluable in helping us to relieve hygiene poverty at a practical and local level. They have enabled us to help more people within the Romsey area have access to the personal and household hygiene products they need to keep themselves, their families and homes clean.”
The Romsey Hygiene Bank currently has two donation boxes in Boots and Waitrose in Romsey where people can donate personal and household hygiene items. They are looking to add more to meet the needs of the population.
If you would like to host a friends and family or workplace product collection and or fundraise on behalf of The Hygiene Bank, Romsey, or help in any other way please email romsey@thehygienebank.com or send a message via Instagram @thb_romsey - they would be delighted to hear from you.