Central England Co-op offer support for project tackling hygiene poverty with second donation point in Leicestershire

Posted by james brindle | Published: 27/11/2020

A donation point at a retailer’s Leicestershire store supporting a project aiming to tackle the issue of hygiene poverty has proved so popular a second store in the county is now welcoming donations.

The Hygiene Bank is a national charity that was established to support people who have a lack of access to hygiene products due to financial constraints as they are forced to prioritise feeding their families and keeping a roof over their heads.

For many on a low income, especially those who rely on food banks, these essential products have become out of reach luxuries and with the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the situation is likely to worsen.

A Hygiene Bank was set up in Market Harborough which was boosted by a donation of £200 in vouchers by Central England Co-op’s Southern Membership and Community Council (MCC), as well as the town’s Coventry Road Supermarket offering a donation point for customers to drop in items.

Since launching in September, the donation point has been emptied by the project six times with items totalling almost 70kg collected. Following the success, the retailer’s store in High Street, Kibworth is now also offering a donation point.

Donna Rood, Central England Co-op Kibworth Store Manager, said: “We are really happy to be able to support this great project to help people in our community facing challenges in these uncertain times. We see it as an important part of our role as a community retailer.

“I would encourage our brilliant customers and members, if they can, to drop in an item or two into our donation point which could prove a real lifeline to someone in need.”

Judy Rowley, from the Market Harborough Hygiene Bank, said they have been really grateful for Central England Co-op’s support in helping the project get off the ground.

She said: “The Market Harborough Central England Co-op was one of our very first donation points in the area we were given a huge helping hand by the MCC when we were first started up with the £200 in vouchers to enable us to buy donations. We are incredibly grateful for the support they have given us.

“I’m thankful to Donna and the Kibworth store for giving us space for a donation point there and hope it can prove as successful as the one in Market Harborough.

“We are currently very short of household cleaning things such as surface cleaners, washing up liquid, detergent etc. which are of particular help to people who have been made homeless and who need these sort of things when they are given housing.”

Other items requested include toothpaste, deodorants, shower gels, aftershave, disposable razors, shaving gel, hair ties, combs and brushes.

Anyone who would like to find out more can email Judy at thbharborough@gmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/thbharborough/

Notes to editors

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK with interests in food, funeral, floral and property investment.

Co-operatives have always been there for their communities; they were formed to protect them and help them flourish.  

Our 7,900 colleagues who serve Members and customers work hard to ensure that co-operative values, principles and spirit flow through everything we do to help support and improve our local communities.

Owned by hundreds of thousands of Members, we have over 430 trading outlets across 16 counties including West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. 

We are proud of our reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.

We invest a percentage of our trading profit into local communities through our Community Dividend Fund scheme, have donated over £1.4 million to our corporate charity partner Dementia UK and also operate a pioneering food redistribution partnership with FareShare Midlands so unsold food goes to those in need.

Visit www.centralengland.coop for more information or follow us on Facebook or Twitter using @mycoopfood

Press office contacts: Rob Smyth and James Brindle

Phone - 01543 421390

Email - publicrelations@centralengland.coop