Sale Sharks is linking up with The Multibank this Christmas to help tackle the rising issues of hygiene poverty amongst young people in the region.
The club will hold a collection at Saturday’s festive fixture against Exeter Chiefs, where fans can donate essential hygiene products in support of The Brick Multibank, in Wigan (pictured) which currently serves 120,000 families across the North West.
Fans will be able to drop off new, sealed items including soap, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes in the South Stand community changing rooms ahead of the game, which kicks off at 5.30pm.
Gifted products will support the build of essential hygiene packs, to be distributed via The Brick Multibank’s place-based network of charities, social workers, health professionals, and teachers.
Volunteers will also be taking cash or card donations on Saturday.
For 46% of households, washing detergent is considered a luxury item on the shopping list, rising in cost at a rate of 41.6% in just three years. Four in ten households are without deodorant.
And with school staff recognising the isolation, withdrawal and bullying that is developing as a result, they are spending approximately £40 million of their own money to support pupils, purchasing soap, toiletries, and detergent as a means to counter divisiveness in the classroom.
With two in three staff expecting the level of hygiene poverty to increase in their school in the coming year, and with key workers’ mental health affected as they attempt to navigate the daily complexities that hygiene poverty presents, The Multibank has designed it’s 2024 campaign to get soap, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes in the hands of our neediest, ensuring that our young people start the day the right way, free of fear, anxiety, and judgement.
Partnering with The Brick Multibank enables Sharks fans to play an active role in getting essential hygiene items into the hands of those most in need this winter period.
Sale Sharks CEO Paul Smith said: “The Multibank campaign and the work done by the Brick Multibank is incredibly important and makes sure that young people in some of the most deprived parts of our region have access to products that many of us take for granted this Christmas.
“Every year at Christmas we ask our Sharks Family to pull together support our community and I have no doubt that they will step up again this year and give generously to ensure these young people reach their potential.
“The players and staff will all be bringing in products and we want our Sharks Family to support us too. Together we can make a real difference to the lives of so many people.”
The Brick Multibank CEO, Keely Dalfen, said: “We are grateful for Sale Sharks’ commitment to making a positive impact on lives of the most vulnerable across Greater Manchester, partnering with us to support our largest anti-poverty initiative to date; by ensuring that children across the region have access to the hygiene products they need to reengage back into the classroom, and maximise their potential.”
For those not in attendance on Saturday but are keen to support the activation, donations can be pledged at multibank.co.uk.
Pic credit: James Speakman/PA Wire
