08 Oct 2024
The disparity between the rich and poor in affluent areas like St Albans and Harpenden is arguably much greater than other parts of the country, with deep pockets of poverty just a few streets away from multi-million pound homes.
From the family mortgaged up to the hilt due to interest rate hikes to the divorced dad struggling with crippling rent payments, deprivation is much more prevalent than initially meets the eye.
Shockingly, approximately 30 per cent of people in St Albans live in a state of poverty, and the need for support from organisations like volunteer-run charitable project Hygiene Bank Harpenden and St Albans is immense.
“Food banks can only do so much, and so we’re trying to target as many people as possible,” said joint co-ordinator Lorna Harris, speaking from outside one of the two huge containers used to store donations such as toothbrushes, shaving foam, sanitary products, shower gel and shampoo.
“There are a lot of people who won’t let their family go hungry, but can’t afford things like deodorant. You think you don’t need these items, but you need to clean your teeth and take care of personal hygiene, and that’s where we step in.”
A recent report by YouGov revealed hygiene poverty was affected an estimated 4.2 million adults in the UK (eight per cent of the population), which is an increase of approximately 1 million adults compared with findings in 2022 (an increase from six per cent).
Part of a nationwide network of self-funded and self-driven Hygiene Banks, the Harpenden and St Albans operation was set up in May 2019 and now boasts 10 volunteers, who also work on a similar project for Luton, where half the population are destitute.
“We have 25 partners, and collect and distribute products to organisations like schools, foodbanks, the probation team, the Harpenden Trust and so on.
“Our donations come in from boxes in places like Boots and Budgens, and through the organisation In Kind Direct, through which the big corporates can donate products which have reached the end of their life, are excess stock, or are being rebranded. For every £1 we spend with them we will receive goods worth £5 in the supermarket.”
The Hygiene Bank’s team of volunteers work from an industrial site near Markyate, where they create personalised donation bags on instruction from the family support team at Vista – St Albans Plus Schools’ Partnership – identifying families in need of help, with additional details such as the number and ages of children, if both parents are raising them and so on.
They also have off-site volunteers who sew bags for them using recycled duvets and curtains!
Funding for the operation comes from their JustGiving page, events like Harpenden Christmas lights, and talks by volunteers to the WI and church groups.
Already this year they have given out 12 tonnes of product to Harpenden/St Albans (five tonnes) and Luton (seven tonnes), which is on track to beating the 2023 total of 15.1 tonnes overall.
Bags of products have gone to schools including the Cunningham Hill Consortium, STAGS, Marlborough Science Academy, Margaret Wix, the Links Academy and Mandeville, and community organisations such as Leeanna’s Wish, St Albans for Refugees, St Albans Action for Homeless and Open Door.
The comments received from recipients highlight just how valued the service is to those in need.
“The products have made our girls feel valued and loved as well as teaching them how to stay clean.”
“The bags that we received were way above our expectation, they had all the essentials and more for the families that needed it. One family had been using washing-up liquid as shower gel and shampoo for the children, and now that they have been able to use proper hygiene products, that has made a huge difference to them holistically.”
“This service is an excellent way enabling families to feel integrated in society. Parents and children were happy to receive the hygiene packs. It enabled children to enjoy activities in school and take part in certain lessons without feeling conscious of their body, while their parents felt included in society, building their confidence.”
“Our families are very grateful and happy with anything they got. We have very high levels of poverty at our school and one of the mums told me that because of the cost of living crisis she sometimes isn’t able to buy essentials and she is surviving only with the help from school with food and the Hygiene Bank.
“Another mum was tearful and told me that she can’t imagine how she would survive without our support because the cost of living is so high that even buying washing powder costs a lot especially when you have many children.”
At Marlborough Science Academy can be found the ‘M Store’, an onsite foodbank established in 2022 to support the school community with the cost of living, now expanded to provide basic non-perishable food items as well as school uniform, toiletries and hygiene products.
It is run by Emma Hicks, the school’s family engagement worker and poverty prevention lead, who said: “Comments of gratitude flood in from our families on a daily basis regarding this provision. Common themes include ‘life-saver’ and ‘you have no idea what this means to me/us’.
“Students attend school clean, fresh and full of pride in themselves.
“Removing the burden of paying for these essential items frees up families to socialise more – the zoo, a family meal out, the gym, a picnic, cinema have all been mentioned – and also, allowing a few extra treats in the weekly shop like chocolate, stationery or PJs.
“This provision really does change people’s lives and give our students here at Marlborough the chance to achieve without the barriers to learning that they would face without it.”
So has the situation worsened in the five years since the Bank was set up?
Lorna said: “It was bad when we started, but we’ve given out more this year so it has arguably got worse.
“We want more people to know about us and what we’re doing. We always need donations of basic products like shampoo, soap and toothbrushes, we need volunteers with specific skills and we need more money to buy more goods.”
Donation boxes can be found in various locations including: the Boots stores in Harpenden, London Colney and St Albans; Manor Pharmacy in Southdown, Leyton Road and Wheathampstead; Musicale; Jade Pharmacy; Nottingham Building Society in St Albans; Café on the Corner in St Albans; and the Barefoot Accountant in Redbourn.
Donate cash via their JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/HygieneBankStAlbansandHarpenden
