Teenagers Create Hygiene Box for Local Foodbank
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With the recent budget announcing more cuts, there is no doubt that more and more British families will be struggling to make ends meet in the coming months. In 2014/15, Trussell Trust foodbanks gave out over one million three-day emergency food supplies to people in the UK. This is much higher than in previous years, showing that there is a major problem regarding poverty. However, it isn’t only food that families in poverty will be struggling to purchase, as a group of teenagers have highlighted in their creation of ‘hygiene packs’ for struggling Newcastle families.
Teenagers taking part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme, which aims to improve the life skills of 16-17 year olds across the country through volunteering and experience days, visited West End Foodbank where they learned how the service runs on a daily basis in order to provide sufficient supplies to those in the area.
During the visit, the group soon realised just how difficult it is for those living in poverty to survive on so little, and acknowledged that if a family are struggling for food then they are probably struggling to afford toiletries too.
Jan Ahmed, who attends Gosforth Academy, emphasised this point by stating:
“Hygiene is two thirds of health.”
In order to make their project possible, the group worked with Headliners, a youth media charity. Through contacting local businesses and schools, they were able to collect enough donations and/or hygiene items to create ‘Bubble Box’, which they gave out to those in poverty around the local area.
There is no doubt that this idea was extremely beneficial to those in the area, as Matthew King, operations and administration manager at the Newcastle West End Foodbank, said:
“A group of recent volunteers asked if we would accept donations other than food, especially toiletries. We regularly have requests for shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste etc and have to unfortunately say we have no supplies.
To get involved or donate, please contact the group here.