In a move to address hygiene poverty across our schools, we recently secured £30,000 worth of essential hygiene products—completely free of charge—thanks to a collaboration between the Trust’s Community Team and The Hygiene Bank.

Items such as shower gels, shampoos, toothpaste, and deodorant were delivered to Co-op Academy Belle Vue, ready to be distributed to schools across Manchester earlier this month.
Amanda Maugham, ACP at Co-op Academy Failsworth, established the connection with The Hygiene Bank, and this project marked the first time the charity has partnered with a multi-academy trust. 

Logistics were coordinated by Regional Community Team Manager, Daryl Tomlinson, who, with the help of an army of Manchester-based Academy Community Pioneers (ACPs), ensured the products were swiftly delivered to all 10 Manchester-based academies for distribution through the schools and community fridges.

The Belle Vue Community Room served as a temporary storage space, with Headteacher Scott Fletcher lending its use for the operation. A team of seven staff and ACPs then worked together to unload and divide the products and supported with collections and deliveries.

Phill Quirk, Headteacher at Co-op Academy Failsworth, said: “We are delighted to receive an amazing delivery of hygiene products that will make a real difference to our community via distribution from our well established community fridge. We are very grateful to The Hygiene Bank for their fantastic donations.”

Ruth Nutton-Jones, Deputy Head Co-op Academy Medlock, said: “Thank you so much to  The Hygiene Bank and to the Greater Manchester Co-op Community team for the incredible work to provide much needed products to our whole school community. To receive such a generous donation will go so far to help us make life a little easier for so many.”

Future deliveries are now expected not only for Manchester academies but also for schools in Staffordshire, the Wirral, and West Yorkshire, offering much-needed support to even more families across the Co-op Academies Trust.

Daryl Tomlinson, Regional Community Development Manager (Greater Manchester), said: 
“This generous contribution will make a real difference in supporting our students, their families, and our wider communities. It  shows the impact we can make when we work together to support the well-being of our academies and communities.”

Georgina Loom: Head of Operations at the Hygiene Bank, said: “It is thanks to the amazing support of our brands and corporate supporters that we can help people pulled into hygiene poverty all over the country.

“A big thank you to Co-op Academies Trust for their hard work sorting out 10 pallets of products! Together, we are building a future where hygiene poverty no longer exists.”