Tesco Bags of Help assists West Lothian College combat hygiene poverty
West Lothian College was recently awarded £500 from the Tesco Bags of Help scheme.
The generous amount will be used to buy 50 x £10 toiletry vouchers for those students most in need.
Bags of Help is Tesco’s local community grant scheme where the money raised by the carrier bag charge in Tesco stores is being used to fund thousands of community projects
Tesco Bags of Help is responding to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis by setting up a new short-term fund to support local communities. The fund provides a single payment award of £500 to organisations who are supporting vulnerable groups.
Many students who find themselves in times of crisis find their options restricted. This leaves them caught between being able to heat their home, pay their rent, eat or be clean. Hygiene poverty is shaming, humiliating and excluding and can result in social isolation.
It leads to a crippling lack of confidence and negatively affects good health and mental well-being which can impact, learning, employability social interaction, self confidence and mental well being.
This award is the latest in a series of steps taken by West Lothian College to combat hygiene poverty.
Free sanitary products are already available to anyone who needs them and the Student Association continue to collect donations and issue hygiene packs to those who need them.
Diane Mitchell, Director of Workforce Development at West Lothian College said:
“I would like to say a massive thank you to Tesco for awarding us £500 to provide toiletries to students who are in desperate financial need. It is a sad fact that not being able to afford something as simple as basic toiletries can prevent a student coming into college and therefore affect their chances to succeed”