Appeal asks for toothbrush & toothpaste donations
Melanie May | 29 August 2024 | News
Boots and The Hygiene Bank have launched an appeal for donations of toothbrushes and toothpaste to support children as they go back to school.
Boots is donating 175,000 toothbrushes and toothpastes to The Hygiene Bank and has teamed up with TV personality Josie Gibson to encourage the public to donate too via 500 donation points located in its stores. For every kilogram donated, Boots will donate an additional full-sized product to The Hygiene Bank.
The Hygiene Bank will distribute the donations to schools and projects that support young people in the UK throughout September. Boots has also launched a range of educational resources for oral health on its Boots Health Hub. The Brush with Boots campaign is also supported by Colgate.
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According to figures from The Hygiene Bank, more than 4.2 million people in the UK are living in hygiene poverty, which can impact children’s oral health. The Hygiene Bank found that nearly a third (29%) of parents experiencing hygiene poverty have reported changes or a reduction in the quality of dental care products for their children due to financial constraints in the last year. One in four (23%) say their children’s oral hygiene has worsened and one in five (19%) say their children have missed school due to oral hygiene issues.
Ruth Brock, CEO of The Hygiene Bank said:
“Hygiene poverty can have a devastating impact on children’s oral health, impacting their well-being, confidence, school attendance, and long-term health. We urgently need more toothpastes and toothbrushes to distribute to schools and projects that support young people in the UK. The donation from Boots is an incredible help, but with further donations from the public we can help even more children get access to the products they need to keep their teeth healthy.”
Nicolette Nixon, who runs a youth club in Hackney that has received toothbrushes and toothpastes from Boots through The Hygiene Bank, said:
“Some of the parents that bring their children to the youth club here are really struggling financially. They are having to make difficult decisions between buying food for their families and buying hygiene essentials like toothbrushes and toothpastes. The donations from Boots provide these kids with access to the basic products they need to keep their teeth clean and healthy as they go back to school.”
WATCH: Brush with Boots
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.