The Bloomsbury's Studio Suite bathroom

The Bloomsbury is joining the likes of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Sandringham Estate in a new CleanConscience initiative. The scheme targets needless waste by collecting partly-used soap and bathroom miniatures and revitalising them, then donating them to charities which distribute the soap to places where something as simple as washing hands often prevents fatal diseases.

One such charity is Sundara, which creates employment opportunities for women who might not otherwise be able to find a dignified job. Sundara’s women create bars of soap for children in slums in places including Mumbai, India.

As well as CleanConsience working with recycled soap, the initiative also takes part-used shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. Products are decanted from their plastic bottles – allowing the bottles to be recycled – and repurposed, before being given to charities like The Brett Foundation, in the UK. The foundation works with families who are being rehoused, having been homeless, and often can’t afford basic luxuries like soap and shampoo. Such a small thing can make a huge difference to these families, particularly in helping them prepare for job interviews and helping to build up lost confidence. 

A third string to the CleanConscience bow, is its Care Kits, which are put together with the help of their supporters including Scottish Rail and The Ritz London, before shipping them to places such as Syria, Pakistan and other parts of Asia. These are often packaged up by  disabled volunteers, who come to the charity a few times a week and find the work very therapeutic especially the volunteers who have autism. Currently 12 volunteer sessions are run each week, but the charity would like to expand to 70 to cope with the growth. 

Founder and project director Gwen Powell told The Bloomsbury why he got involved with this scheme: “I love challenges and for me this project ticked a few of boxes; preventing valuable resources from being landfilled or incinerated, making hygiene products available to those who need it most, creating opportunities for individuals on the margins of society and partnering with other organisations with the same values”

Engage with CleanConscience on social media by following the hashtag #makingadifference