UK charity steps up campaign against child hygiene poverty

A charity founded by the former prime minister Gordon Brown is to increase its campaign efforts against child hygiene poverty this year.

The Multibank, which was founded by the former Labour leader, is working with a number of sports clubs across Britain and the Hygiene Bank charity. Over the Christmas and new year period it collected thousands of hygiene products at sporting fixtures.

The campaign received a boost on Monday with a drive launched by Amazon to give 250,000 hygiene products to the charity by the end of the month. The initiative was launched after a survey by the Hygiene Bank that found teachers were spending their own salary on supporting children who might be experiencing hygiene poverty within their schools.

Brown said: “Thanks to the generosity and compassion of so many sports fans, many children are returning to school this week feeling a lot more comfortable in their own skin and more confident to take their place in the classroom because they have soap, shampoo, toothpaste and deodorant and their families have the products they need to keep them and their clothes clean.

“Last month’s Multibank inspirational donation drive by sports fans means this month children will be able to go to and stay engaged at school – and socially – simply because they feel and smell clean. We can do much more to support them in 2025.”

He said: “I’m delighted Amazon, whose surplus stocks are already a mainstay of Multibank goods, are launching a multibusiness collaboration amongst hygiene companies to increase the amount of hygiene goods supplied to our multibanks. I thank all the companies involved.

“We know the multibanks are making a real difference keeping hard-pressed families facing the future with some hope of better days ahead. We must now keep innovating how we do charitable work in our communities because too many children need the help right now and teachers tell us that keeping kids clean and smelling fresh is for them a priority issue.”

John Boumphrey, Amazon’s UK country manager, said: “We are incredibly proud to have supported the foundation and continued expansion of the Multibank network.

“It has been inspiring to see sports fans donating to the recent hygiene poverty campaign and helping those most in need in our communities.

“We want to continue that goodwill and by working together with our suppliers and our customers, we hope to generate hundreds of thousands more donations and alleviate the consequences of hygiene poverty.”