National Hygiene Week
Today is the start of National Hygiene Week. Lincoln Hygiene bank started in September 2022 in response to the cost of living crisis. So many people were talking about food poverty and fuel poverty but not hygiene poverty. If you are deciding between heating and eating you will not be prioritising buying soap, shampoo or bleach. The only form of hygiene poverty that was being spoken about was period poverty and some schools have sanitary products that girls could ask for if needed. Who wants to go to school smelling, go to work with dirty hair or have a job interview and be able to wash your clothes. It was in the news that nappies were being stolen but no one was speaking about why. We applied for funding in the April and in August we had the funding confirmed so we had enough to launch Lincoln hygiene Bank in the September and our first session was at RCCG Victory Centre, Dixon Way and was twice per month.
Fast work 25 months and hygiene poverty is a growing issue but it is still rarely spoken about. Food banks give out limited hygiene supplies but they do not have the storage or capacity to meet the every growing demand. Lincoln Hygiene bank has minimum 2 sessions per week soon to be 4 and up to 4 soon to be 6 per week. There are 5 hygiene locations across the city with one coming soon. If you or someone you know is need of hygiene support please contact us, no referral is needed and we will get you the support you need.
- Central Methodist Church, High Street – 2nd and 4th Mondays 10-12
- Moorland Community Centre – 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 12-2
- Holy Cross Church, Skellingthorpe Road – every Wednesday 10-12
- Lincoln Central Mosque, Dixon Street – every Saturday 1.20-3.30
- RCCG Victory Centre, Dixon Way – 3rd Thursday 4-6
- Up hill location coming soon
- Any TCfR event
- Any of the above hygiene sessions
- Mint Lane Café
- BGU
- Dial a Ride
- St Peter at Gowts Church
- VCS, City Hall
- Wragby Reload
Winter appeal:
This November we are having an interfaith hygiene donation winter appeal to raise as many donations as we can for Lincoln Hygiene Bank. For Mitzvah Day and Sewa Day faith communities are coming together to collect hygiene donations and on Sunday 24th 12-3 in Central Methodist Church we will be coming together to sort the donations. Bring donations on this day and stay and help us count, record and organise all donations.
lincolnhygiene@tcf-reconciliation.org
