Families across Kent struggling financially are having to resort to sharing a toothbrush and using washing up liquid to clean themselves.

Today marks the beginning of the second annual National Hygiene Week, and people across the county are using the event to raise awareness about the tough experience of those who find themselves in hygiene poverty.

The reality of hygiene poverty for many people living in the UK could mean having to share one toothbrush between everyone in their family.

Women are being forced to stuff their pants with toilet paper because they cannot afford period products, and some parents aren't able to change their baby’s dirty nappy because there aren’t any clean ones left.

From toilet roll and deodorant, to baby products and washing up liquid, the everyday hygiene products most of us take for granted can be unaffordable for people living on a low income.

This leaves thousands deciding whether to heat their homes, pay their rent, put food on the table, or keep clean.

Liberty Jones, who set up the Thanet Hygiene Bank in 2018, said: "It goes quite unnoticed, long before people go to a food bank they tend to give up these hygiene items and make those sacrifices.

Watch: Liberty Jones is the project co-ordinator of the Thanet Hygiene Bank

"People can hide not washing their hair or not using sanitary items - it's really quite a serious thing that people don't realise is going on."

Just two months away from giving birth, Liberty knows there are certain realities she won't have to face that families on low income may have to deal with.

She said: "Scraping the contents of a nappy out and reapplying it - I'm seven months pregnant and that would never have crossed my mind that that would be something that we would ever have to go through."

Since setting up the Thanet Hygiene Bank, Liberty estimates they have helped thousands of families get access to hygiene products they would be otherwise unable to afford.

The theme for this year's National Hygiene Week is ‘Look Up’, encouraging people to learn about the hidden crisis affecting communities across the country.

Emma Thomas has been the project coordinator at Strood and Hoo Peninsula Hygiene Bank for 9 months.

In that time she has set up and run the project from her home, engaged with businesses and organisations to host public drop off bins and encouraged a loyal following of local residents who generously support the project with donations.

She now works closely with many community partners, including the local food bank and schools partners across Medway to get the support to those who may find themselves in crisis and need support.

Emma said: "Unfortunately, at the start of the nationwide lockdown in March, and due to the current tough economic environment, the demand for donations from my beneficiary partners significantly increased, with many more demands from new and vulnerable individuals and families.

"But the community came together, and the project adapted by offering alternative ways of donating, such as a Just Giving page which enabled us to purchase the essentials needed and online wish-lists where items were delivered directly to the project."

Emma said the response has been 'heart-warming' - thanks to people’s generosity she has been able to cope with increased demand and grow the project.

As a mum of two daughters, she finds the issue of child poverty particularly heart wrenching and was motivated to get involved.

Recently, Emma worked with a local authority partner to make packs for teenagers that included basic hygiene essentials plus a few slightly more luxury extras, calling them ‘self-esteem packs’.

A recipient of a self-esteem pack said: "I worry about what my friends might think because my family are poor, but when I have my own stuff to keep clean it helps me a lot because nobody has to know."

"The demand for donations from my beneficiary partners significantly increased..."

Rachel Plumb is one of a team of four volunteers at The Hygiene Bank in Ashford.

She started volunteering in 2019 as a single young parent - a personal situation that made her understand how difficult it can be to balance paying for food and hygiene products.

As a mother, Rachel always put her child first, but she said her confidence soon diminished because of not being able to afford basic hygiene products.

Now in a better place, she said she wanted to help ensure her community was better equipped to deal with the problems she herself had faced.

She said: "The Hygiene Bank team volunteer tirelessly around full-time jobs helping schools, colleges, care leavers, community centres, social services, rehabilitation centres, women's refuges, homeless centres, church-run groups and refugee homes.

"The team are proud of the volunteer work they undertake and try to find a way to help in any way they can."

New research into individual experience and awareness of hygiene poverty, conducted by The Hygiene Bank, found that 26% of white respondents say there has been at least one instance when they have been unable to afford personal and/or household hygiene products.

However, this number was 48% amongst black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) respondents.

Black and minority ethnic individuals have been disproportionately affected by this issue, as twice as many BAME individuals have experienced or witnessed shaming by members of the public due to their personal hygiene than white respondents surveyed.

However, 50% of UK adults surveyed currently don’t understand what hygiene poverty is.

The Hygiene Bank’s hope that one day everyone in the UK will have access to the essential products they need to keep themselves and their families clean and healthy.

But it is estimated that more than 20% of the UK population are living in poverty.

As of March this year, 3.4 million were still furloughed, and those still working are on less income due to the pandemic.

To find your nearest hygiene bank, click here

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