Nov 24, 2021

BARE NECESSITIES TOILETRY BANK

2021 has proven to be a busy year and despite the challenges of Covid has seen us extend our reach from 20 to 33 charities across five sectors; women, food banks, youth/schools & colleges, mother& baby and street homeless.

2021 will be engraved on all our memories for a variety of reasons but for us it was a momentous year as we successfully became a registered charity in February. Such a far cry from our humble origins with one black plastic dustbin hosted by the Guild when we supported just three charities!

We will be forever grateful for the support of all at the Guild for having faith in us in those early days back in Spring 2018 and for sharing our vision to help eradicate hygiene poverty in our local communities.

In March this year we launched our brand-new look donation bins. These are now sited throughout our community, including two here at the Guild. They are working very hard for us and reflect the charity we have become. If you have a business which could host one for a short time please get in-touch.

To date, (almost the end of November), we have made over 140 separate deliveries to our charities, for which we rely on a band of 15 trusty volunteers. We have made up almost 600 essential toiletry tote bags which make an immediate and lasting impact to the recipients and 1658 of our smaller packs.

These included almost 1,000 of our dental hygiene kits part of our ‘Give a Smile’ initiative. These provide three months’ supply of dental hygiene essentials. In poorer household’s toothbrush sharing and brushing without toothpaste is not uncommon. These 

kits reached over 3,000 families and individuals and we plan to repeat ‘Give a Smile’ in 2022. Logo courtesy of 1st Wilmslow Guides as part of their centenary celebrations.

It’s only with your help, through giving quality, unused toiletries, unwanted gift sets and hotel minis that we are able to continue our work.

In the coming weeks we are focusing on providing toiletry packs which will be used for Xmas gifts by many of our charities. These range from teen survival bags stuffed will all the important stuff and maybe some Lynx body spray to women’s pamper packs for the survivors of domestic violence, our five days of dignity packs for those unfortunate enough to be on the streets this winter and much in between.

For more information on who we help, how we work or to offer support please visit our website, www.bntoiletrybank.org

With our thanks and all good wishes for Christmas.

Wendy, Fiona, Mike, Abigail and Beverly

Trustees Bare Necessities Toiletry Bank