Beauty Banks launches fresh appeal as hygiene poverty rises in UK

UK charity Beauty Banks has launched a new appeal to help school-age children experiencing hygiene poverty, with a target of £20,000.

It comes as Beauty Banks reports an 141% increase in demand for its help compared to the previous year. The year-to-date demand for donations from the organisation has also risen by 147%—more than double the demand for the entire year of 2023.

Founded in 2018, Beauty Banks is a grassroots charity that provides personal care and hygiene products to people in the UK living in hygiene poverty via registered charities.

So far, the organisation has supported every charity and school that has asked for its help. But to meet demand, it now needs to raise more money and has launched the 'Stay Fresh' appeal to help.

The new appeal will attempt to provide school-age children throughout the UK with enough hygiene products to sustain them at school so they can concentrate on their education.

As part of this, Beauty Banks said a donation of £100 will allow it to support ten children with Stay Fresh Wellbeing Packs, which provide enough hygiene products for up to eight weeks.

The news comes after a number of beauty brands and retailers have partnered with Beauty Banks over the last few years to support its mission to end hygiene poverty in the UK.

Last year, Elemis became an official partner of Beauty Banks, which has seen the British skincare brand power an electric van to help it reach more charities in London and the south-east.

Superdrug has also previously joined Beauty Banks to call for more donations, encouraging more people to donate any spare health and beauty items to help those living in hygiene poverty.