Wolves and Wolves Foundation have pledged their support to the Multibank UK 2024 Christmas campaign to help combat the issues of hygiene poverty with a fan collection at the Boxing Day Premier League fixture against Manchester United.
Becoming a partner sees Wolves join the Christmas campaign to raise awareness and respond to rising issues of hygiene poverty among young people across the country, guaranteeing that they can approach 2025 equipped with the tools, assurance, and confidence they need to maximise opportunity and potential in the classroom.
Wolves are joining other clubs in pledging their support and, ahead of the Boxing Day fixture with Manchester United (kick off 5.30pm), the club will facilitate a matchday donation drive at Molineux encouraging fans to donate essential hygiene products.
This ties in with Wolves Foundation’s ‘Supporting Our Pack’ campaign which provides various strands of support to people across the community, and is an addition to the charity’s own Shoebox Appeal which is returning for Christmas.
“We are delighted to be linking up with the Multibank campaign to help combat issues around hygiene poverty this Christmas,” says Ollie Locker, senior health officer with Wolves Foundation.
“At Wolves Foundation, we are committed via our Supporting Our Pack project to helping people who are vulnerable or in need of different types of assistance and working with Multibank on their Christmas campaign is another strand to that initiative.
“We know how Wolves fans have been extremely generous in their support of others across the community and hopefully, in addition to the Shoebox campaign we are running separately, this offers another opportunity to make a positive impact.
“There will be several drop-off points around the stadium ahead of the Boxing Day fixture and we encourage all fans to consider making a donation if they can – every single item will make a difference and support a young person from the local area.”
All products donated will support the build of essential hygiene packs, to be distributed via the Wolves Foundation’s range of projects delivered out and about in the community. These items include soap, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, provided they are sealed and within expiration date.
Statistics obtained by Multibank UK back up why their Christmas campaign is so important.
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. Alongside that, 42% of households are without deodorant. 400,000 are without soap or toothpaste. And with school staff recognising the isolation, withdrawal and bullying that is developing as a result, they are spending approximately £40million of their own money to support pupils, purchasing soap, toiletries, and detergent as a means to counter divisiveness in the classroom.
With two in three staff expecting the level of hygiene poverty to increase in their school in the coming year, and with key workers’ mental health affected as they attempt to navigate the daily complexities that hygiene poverty presents, The Multibank has designed its 2024 campaign to get soap, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes in the hands of our neediest, ensuring that our young people start the day the right way, free of fear, anxiety, and judgement.
Donations can be made from 2.30pm up until 5.15pm prior to the Manchester United fixture at the Fan Zone, with any other donation points to be announced closer to the fixture.
For those not in attendance on Boxing Day but keen to support the activation, donations can be pledged at multibank.co.uk.
Kelly Hogarth, Campaign Lead for The Multibank said: "The Multibank is thrilled to have joined forces with Wolves and Wolves Foundation as part of our national 2024 Christmas Campaign.
“Hygiene Poverty is a largely preventable issue but its impact on young people is significant.
“There is no better sport than football to bring people together, and with the shared commitment of the club and Foundation, we are confident that, supported by the fans, we can put smiles back on the faces of those most in need this Christmas. Every small gesture that fans are able to make on Boxing Day can make the biggest difference.”
The Multibank is an initiative which connects business with social need to help reduce poverty, and meet sustainability targets, distributing essential, non-food items to meet the needs of our communities’ most vulnerable. Their approach centres around collecting and distributing surplus goods from businesses to people in need via activations with local charities with the knowledge and expertise to direct support where it is needed most.
Find out more at themultibank.co.uk.
