A charity event in The Balcony Room of London's iconic Globe Theatre has raised £22,000 in cash and £10,000 in product donations for The Hygiene Bank.
Many people are locked in poverty or find themselves in times of crisis and experiencing restricted options which can include selecting between heating their home, paying their rent, buying food or keeping clean, and The Hygiene Charity is dedicated to alleviating this hygiene poverty - which can also be shaming, humiliating and excluding.
Supported by over 130 guests, the event on 3rd October was sponsored by Bridge Recruitment, Darwin Clayton, Futures Supplies, Liberty Hygiene, Evans Vanodine plc and The Cheeky Panda.
Now in its third year, this event has grown from strength to strength every year and this year we have been oversubscribed once again. It’s testimony to how the FM industry has rallied together for a cause as significant as hygiene poverty
Bidders participated in an auction with a selection of raffle prizes also available including Tea at The Ritz, a Banksy print, dinner for six at trendy eatery Dishoom, a Chanel brooch, Spurs match tickets and a Fortnum & Mason luxury hamper.
Guests at the fundraiser which is sponsored annually by Cleanology also enjoyed networking, drinks and canapés at the scenic venue next to the River Thames.
They included Chris Forbes, Founder of Cheeky Panda; Paul Evans, CEO of Carlisle Support Services; Phil Smith, Chair of the Hill Club; Nick Winstone, Founder of Biovate Hygienics; and Jordan Hurley, Founder of SOAP2O; as well as representatives from Ark Pest Control, BigChange, CBRE, Cleenol Group, Greenspeed, Industrial Cleaning Equipment (ICE), Nilfisk, Planet Mark, Recorra, Robert Scott, Sitemark, Ucomply and WhiffAway.
Cleanology CEO, Dominic Ponniah, says: “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity and support of our industry this year.
Now in its third year, this event has grown from strength to strength every year and this year we have been oversubscribed once again.
It’s testimony to how the FM industry has rallied together for a cause as significant as hygiene poverty, and with the cost of living crisis only getting worse, there has never been a more important time to support the work of the Hygiene Bank.
We are hugely grateful to everyone who got involved this year.
“In October 2022, YouGov published Hygiene Poverty 2022, commissioned by The Hygiene Bank, the first comprehensive, national, mixed methodology research report into the scale and impact of hygiene poverty in the UK. Over 3.1 million adults are living in Hygiene Poverty and the research showed that hygiene products such as toothpaste, shampoo and laundry detergent are the first to be cut when budgets are tight”.
Ruth Brock, CEO of The Hygiene Bank, adds: “The Hygiene Bank is deeply grateful to Dominic Ponniah and Cleanology and all the sponsors of this event for their fantastic generosity.
Hygiene poverty is widespread, growing and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable.
Visit https://thehygienebank.com to join in the fight against hygiene poverty.
It’s a hidden poverty that blights life chances and limits opportunity – so it’s critical that more companies and more individuals follow in Cleanology’s footsteps to join us as we work together to end hygiene poverty for good.
Cleanology’s generosity and support will make a meaningful difference today and takes us a crucial step forward on that journey.”
Nick Winstone, MD and Co-Founder of Biovate Hygienics, adds: “It has been an honour to have been invited to Cleanology’s annual fundraiser for the Hygiene Bank, since the inception of the event three years ago and watch it grow and do more good every year.
As a charity that aligns so well with our industry, Dominic Ponniah and Cleanology have done both the Hygiene Bank and the broader industry a service by highlighting the good work they are doing at a grassroots level.”
In September 2021, Cleanology held its first charity event which raised over £14,000 for The Hygiene Bank, with last year's event raising £20,000.
Millions of people are struggling with its impact – the stigma, embarrassment, damage to mental and physical health it brings. It’s a hidden poverty that blights life chances and limits opportunity
Visit https://thehygienebank.com to join in the fight against hygiene poverty.
