University of Galway Students’ Union will partner with Hygiene Hub Galway again this year, holding monthly donation drives asking students and staff to join the fight against hygiene poverty.
There will be a donation point in the Students’ Union office on the last Friday of each month, starting Friday, 29 September, where hygiene, personal care and household cleaning products can be left for those in need.
Last year the Union collected almost 200kg of donations for the Hub and they hope to collect even more this year.
Donated items will be distributed to Hygiene Hub community partners in Galway who include COPE Galway, Galway Simon Community, Galway Traveller Movement and St Vincent de Paul among others.
They are asking for donations of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, razors, shaving foam, deodorant, hairbrushes, hair ties, period products, nappies, baby wipes, toilet roll, headlice shampoo and laundry detergent.
Students’ Union President Dean Kenny said that they are delighted to partner with Hygiene Hub again this year to join the fight against hygiene poverty.
“Hygiene Hub are an amazing movement who help those living in poverty access the basics items they need. Their work addresses a huge injustice that exists in our society,” he said.
Students’ Union Vice President/Welfare and Equality Officer Izzy Tiernan added that hygiene poverty is a major issue in the current cost of living crisis.
“It can lead to people having to make impossible choices between buying food or keeping clean. Our monthly donation drives aim to help Hygiene Hub to stop the social isolation that can result from hygiene poverty.”
