Wilmslow charity gives a reason to smile

A dozen local people responded to a call for help from Wilmslow based charity Bare Necessities Toiletry Bank, (BNTB).

The team unwrapped two pallets of dental hygiene products and re-packed them making up four hundred family dental kits and three hundred and ninety-eight individual packs.

Each will provide the recipient with a three months' supply of toothpaste and a quality toothbrush. The initiative, dubbed 'Give a Smile', is the charity's special project this year and has really caught the imagination of its supporters.

The kits, containing 398 single toothbrushes, 400 family packs and and 1,996 tubes of toothpaste, were delivered to a range of charities throughout Cheshire East, to be shared between local food banks, hostels, youth groups, nurseries and schools.

Commenting on 'Give a Smile', Wendy Hobson, co-founder of BNTB said, "Toothpaste is the most requested toiletry item at foodbanks, we know in the poorest households sharing of tooth brushes is common as is brushing teeth with water. Since becoming a registered charity in the spring, we were determined to make dental hygiene a priority."

Lisa Barker, co-founder of BNTB added, "'Dental extractions are the biggest cause of hospital admissions in the under 6 age group. Our 'Give a Smile' campaign highlights the importance of establishing a good oral hygiene routine and gives families, who may struggle to afford these products, access to quality dental products."

Bare Necessities Toiletry Bank was founded by Wendy Hobson and Lisa Barker in February 2018 to collect and distribute toiletries within the local community to help alleviate hygiene poverty experienced by those in financial crisis.

At present the registered charity supports 25 local charities and organisations such as Foodfriend at St Bartholomew's Parish Church Wilmslow, Silklife food bank Macclesfield, The Pankhurst Trust, Manchester Women's Aid, Centrepoint, Cre8, Smartworks Greater Manchester, Stockport Without Abuse, The Greater Manchester Women's Support Alliance, Stockport Women's Centre, Oakenclough Sure Start Nurseries, the Welcome Cafe and Wilmslow High School.