A number of drop off points have been placed around Gloucestershire where you can donate hygiene products.

The Hygiene Bank is a charity that was set up to work with local communities to tackle hygiene poverty much in the same way as a food bank does.

They provide collection boxes in businesses where customers can donate.

Once the box is full, the contents is collected and donated to local charities who are in desperate need of these items, for example, women’s refuges and young person’s hostels.

There are currently drop off stations in Cirencester, Nailsworth, Malmesbury, Sherston and Tetbury while there are other Hygiene Bank activities in Bath, Bristol and Cheltenham and nationwide.

The Hygiene Bank collects donations of new and unused hygiene products, such as shampoo, conditioner, face wash, soaps, cleansers, sanitary pads, tampons, shower gels, deodorant, disposable razors, shaving foam, toothpaste, toothbrushes, baby toiletries, nappies, make up and unwanted toiletry gifts.

More information on the charity and how it came about can be found on our website www.thehygienebank.com.

Jo Powell, a full-time mum, is the project coordinator for Gloucestershire and the Wiltshire area and felt taking on the role was a no brainer.

"It's such a worthy cause," she said.

"It was a no brainer.

"Nobody should be without basic items. People don't have these things but I could never imagine my daughters without these basic things. I think this is easy and not hard to push."

Jo, from Sherston, has encouraged more people to get involved with the project and stressed the Hygiene Bank are still on the look out for more volunteers.

"There's only me organising the drop offs. I have two kids so i can't do it 24/7 so if we can have more volunteers that would really help," she said.

"I have to find places that need our help and that takes time but there could be so many more places that need us."

According to the Hygiene Bank,14 million people in the UK live in poverty and 4.5 million of those are children.

The Hygiene bank gives hygiene and personal care essentials to those living in poverty in the UK to help restore dignity and wellbeing.

To discuss volunteering or helping out, contact Jo by emailing thbsherston@gmail.com.