Over £7,000 Raised at Bare Necessities Annual Fundraising Lunch
Bare Necessities Toiletry Bank hosted its annual fundraising lunch on 28th November at the Alderley Edge Hotel, welcoming 140 supporters, volunteers and friends for an uplifting afternoon of community, generosity and awareness. Guests enjoyed a wonderful mix of shopping stalls, a beautifully served lunch, a fashion show, plus a lively raffle and auction.
A powerful Q and A session was led by Chair Wendy Hobson and featured Debbie Malone from Stockport Women’s Centre and Tiffany Salmon from Amelia Knight, an Ambassador for the charity. Their honest and moving conversation highlighted the real pressures facing people in our local community and the life changing role that access to basic hygiene supplies can play. The discussion brought home just how vital the work of Bare Necessities is for individuals and families who are struggling.
The event raised an incredible £7,000 which will go directly towards supporting Bare Necessities and its partner charities as they continue their work reducing hygiene poverty across Wilmslow and the wider North West. Special thanks were given to Redrow North West for sponsoring the lunch, whose support helped make the day possible.
About Bare Necessities Toiletry Bank
Vision
To alleviate hygiene poverty so that no one has to choose between eating and keeping clean.
Mission
To provide essential toiletries and hygiene products to charities and organisations across the North West that support people in need.
Bare Necessities is a grassroots charity run entirely by volunteers. Each month it supports 32 charities across five key sectors including women, youth and schools, mother and baby, foodbanks and those experiencing street homelessness. By working closely with trusted partners the charity ensures that help goes directly to those who need it most.
Every month Bare Necessities provides 155 tailored tote bags, designed around individual needs. These include specific bags for teen boys, teen girls, women and men, each filled with everyday hygiene essentials and thoughtful extras. The charity also supplies Five Day of Dignity packs for people experiencing homelessness which include miniature toiletries that are practical to carry and use.
Beyond this the charity creates wellbeing bags for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day so children in struggling households can still celebrate their parents. It also produces Prom Packs and Christmas packs so that no child has to miss out at important moments. Its award winning Give a Smile initiative provides three months of dental hygiene products for households affected by poverty where toothbrush sharing and brushing with water alone can be common. The Suds campaign supplies laundry detergent to families who simply cannot afford it.
Why This Work is So Important
Hygiene poverty has a damaging effect on dignity, mental health and wellbeing, making even everyday life feel overwhelming. Nearly 9.9 million people in the UK, around one in five adults, are currently affected according to the latest In Kind Report 2024. The need is growing, and charities like Bare Necessities rely on the generosity of local people, businesses and volunteers to keep going.
How You Can Help
Bare Necessities welcomes full size, unopened toiletries, hygiene products, dental items, baby products and beauty or hotel miniatures. Local businesses can also host donation boxes either permanently or for short collection drives. Monetary donations support large scale purchasing and logistics and help the charity reach more people.
To donate or find out more:
www.bntoiletrybank.org
www.donate.justgiving.com/charity/bntoiletrybank/donation-amount
Instagram: @barenecessities_toiletrybank
Facebook: @barenecessities_toiletrybank
Email: [email protected]
Registered Charity Number: 1193427
Because no one should have to choose between eating and keeping clean.