Bolton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers in the Community are proud to be joining the Multibank 2024 Christmas campaign this weekend – designed to raise awareness of the rising issues of hygiene poverty amongst young people up-and-down the United Kingdom.
To help play our part, for the visit of Wigan Athletic on Saturday 14 December, the club will welcome donations of essential hygiene products at the club’s Wellbeing Hub – with a wide-ranging amount of products being used to help build essential hygiene packs to be distributed across a number of areas ahead of the Christmas period.
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.
42% of households are without deodorant, 400,000 are without soap or toothpaste, with school staff spending approximately £40 million of their own money to support pupils - purchasing soap, toiletries and detergent as a means to counter divisiveness and bullying in the classroom.
With this in mind, the Multibank has designed their 2024 Christmas campaign to get soap, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes into the hands of those most in need across the United Kingdom.
Phil Mason, Chief Operating Officer and joint-Interim CEO of Bolton Wanderers and CEO of Bolton Wanderers in the Community, said: "We are immensely proud to be linking up with the Multibank and joining their Christmas Campaign this year.
"As a Football Club placed at the heart of our local community, we want to help and try to respond to the rising issue of hygiene poverty in young people in the United Kingdom - but in particular across Bolton.
"Christmas should be a time for celebration, happiness and spending time with your loved ones, and we want to play our part across our town. Every child should have access to hygiene products, ensuring young people start in the right way and go about their day without the fear of anxiety and judgement.
"With our game against Wigan Athletic approaching, we want to use a game against a local rival as a way to promote this fantastic campaign. Therefore, we kindly ask supporters of both teams to donate anything they can afford to our Wellbeing Hub - where a donation bank will be present ahead of kick-off."
Keely Dalfen, Chief Executive Officer of the Brick Multibank, said: "We are grateful for Bolton Wanderers’ 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 more information about the Multibank and their Christmas Campaign, please click here.