Cleanology launches fourth fundraiser to tackle hygiene poverty

Office and commercial cleaning company, Cleanology, has launched its fourth annual fundraising event in aid of The Hygiene Bank, a people-powered charity and social movement, committed to tackling hygiene poverty in communities across the UK.

This year the event, which has raised over £78,000 in its first three years, is being held on Wednesday 9 October, at the Hard Rock Café in the heart of London’s Mayfair.

In May this year, The Hygiene Bank unveiled shocking findings from its latest research report ‘Hygiene Poverty in 2024’. It now estimates that 4.2 million adults in the UK are currently living in hygiene poverty, a significant increase of 1.1 million people compared to the findings in 2022, highlighting the escalating severity of this silent crisis.

The study, conducted by YouGov, uncovers the devastating impacts of hygiene poverty on individuals and families across the nation, exposing the effects hygiene poverty has on mental and physical health and how it acts as a barrier to education and work.

Key findings from the research include:

• In the past 12 months, 69 per cent of those affected by hygiene poverty have had to choose between paying for food or bills and buying toiletries and cleaning products.
• Sixty-five per cent of parents affected by hygiene poverty have had to choose, in the past 12 months, between buying hygiene products for themselves or their children.
• Those who have experienced hygiene poverty in the past 12 months are more likely to have gone without razors (50 per cent), laundry detergent and cleaning products (46 per cent) and deodorant (42 per cent) because they couldn’t afford it.

Dominic Ponniah, CEO and Co-Founder of Cleanology, said: “When we held our first event four years ago, we had no idea that four years later the scale of hygiene poverty would be such that this hidden crisis has grown exponentially. I am proud Cleanology is again leading the fight against hygiene poverty and that we continue to partner with The Hygiene Bank, a grassroots charity dedicated to ensuring that feeling clean is not a luxury but a basic right for everyone in our society.”

Ruth Brock, CEO of The Hygiene Bank, said: “Cleanology has been more than a supporter of The Hygiene Bank, they are a true partner in our mission to end hygiene poverty in the UK. Their unwavering support over the years has made a tangible difference in the lives of thousands of families pulled into hygiene poverty, and as we launch this event together, we celebrate not only the progress we have made but also the enduring partnership that makes it all possible. Together, we are changing lives.”

At the fundraiser up to 200 expected guests can look forward to an array of entertainment including a live DJ, networking, refreshing cocktails, Hard Rock classic burgers, a lively auction and raffle with amazing prizes.

To book tickets, with all profits donated to The Hygiene Bank click here.