Staff at leading Clapham commercial cleaning and FM company Cleanology – as well as customers and suppliers – have bagged up a whopping tonne of hygiene products to go to families around the UK this Christmas. And there is more to come!

The donations campaign aims to make the Christmas period less stressful for people struggling with poverty across the UK. The products collected have been distributed by Cleanology to The Hygiene Bank’s local community projects.

Cleanology’s CEO, Dominic Ponniah, said: “A fifth of the population is living in poverty and Christmas places even more pressure on those families struggling to make ends meet. Figures show one in three people living in the UK has had to go without hygiene essentials – up and down the country, people are faced with having to make a choice between buying presents for the children or stocking up on toiletries or cleaning products. We hope that, with our help, they won’t have to make those choices.”

So far, Cleanology has collected over a tonne of products, ranging from hand sanitiser and cleaning spray to toilet roll and tissues. Cleanology’s own donation of hand sanitiser amounts to over £13,000 in value.

Edgar Penollar, CEO at The Hygiene Bank, said: “Many people were experiencing hygiene poverty before the Coronavirus hit and the number is expected to rise due to the knock-on effects of the pandemic. As we move into winter, there are many who simply cannot afford the products and amenities they need in order to stay clean, safe and well. We are very grateful Cleanology is supporting The Hygiene Bank this Christmas. Their donations will help alleviate some of the pressure individuals and families face when unable to afford the basics, which is especially stressful during Christmas.”

Ponniah added: “We have been overwhelmed by the response. Christmas is meant to be a time of peace but, for those juggling tiny budgets, it is stressful trying to make ends meet while meeting extra demands. Research shows that people stop buying toiletries long before they approach a food bank. We want to fill that gap.”

Cleanology’s Christmas Appeal runs until the end of January 2021 and is:

Donating all profits from December sales of hand sanitiser to The Hygiene Bank.
Collecting donations of unwanted Christmas presents such as soap and perfume.

Cleanology teamed up with The Hygiene Bank in September 2020 to help promote the first ever National Hygiene Week, to raise awareness of UK hygiene poverty.

All the products donated will be distributed by The Hygiene Bank, which was launched to tackle the shocking reality of hygiene poverty. The Hygiene Bank operates 789 drop-off points including all Boots stores and Cleanology HQ in Lion Yard. It uses the products to support 1,398 organisations around the UK.