Being powerless to maintain personal hygiene compromises mental health and physical wellbeing.

The number of people sleeping rough has been steadily increasing for the last 10 years, although a nationwide problem, it is much more prevalent in the capital. London’s population accounts for approximately 16% of England’s total, but more than a quarter (27%) of England’s rough sleepers. There are many homeless charities in the capital and across the country doing valuable work, but just 13% of Londoners feel enough is being done to tackle homelessness. ShowerBox is dedicated to creating a free and secure shower space for those who sleep rough in London. By doing this we can help empower homeless people to:

Maintain Good Personal Hygiene

Being powerless to maintain personal hygiene compromises mental and physical well-being and exacerbates feelings of inadequacy. 45% of homeless people surveyed had been diagnosed with a mental health problem (compared to 25% of the general population), the most common condition of which was depression. Those who have no choice but to sleep rough are 9 times more likely to commit suicide than the average person.

Build Confidence and Motivation

Being clean and warm can help create a feeling of confidence and motivation, feelings essential for creating positive change. Many homeless people experience low self-esteem and a loss of ability and will to care for oneself. Those sleeping rough often become institutionalised to the street and lack the confidence and motivation to seek help. 80% of single people experiencing homelessness want to work, but only 10% are in paid employment.

Stop the Spread of Disease

By providing a place to wash, ShowerBox helps stop the spread of preventable, debilitating diseases which costs the NHS millions each year. 41% of homeless people reported a long-term physical health problem (compared to just 28% of the general population), many of these problems (such as stomach problems, skin infections and urinary problems) could be prevented with access to regular showers.

ShowerBox was born out of the human need to feel good and lead a safe life.

I’m Sarah Lamptey, a former volunteer for various homeless organisations and the head fundraiser for ShowerBox. ShowerBox was born from a conversation I had with a guest at a winter shelter a few years ago. I was told of the huge need for showers in London, as they have in other parts of the world, indeed, as they used to have here. I published an article on this on HuffPost in July 2018, after thinking about how powerfully transformative a shower can be and the positive impact of feeling good about yourself, both physically and mentally.

Whilst researching the HuffPost article, I met Andrew McLeay, who runs the Ealing Soup Kitchen. He told me that he’d known of individuals who had passed away from preventable illnesses on the streets, simply because of an inability to get clean. Other homeless workers discussed the stigma received in public by not having the opportunity to maintain good personal hygiene. There have been free and low-cost public showers across Europe for decades and a small number of mobile showering facilities have launched across America. Closer to home, since the Ealing Soup Kitchen installed a shower in 2017, numbers have tripled in size.

I set about working out what I could do to help. After a successful fundraising campaign, I was able to buy a trailer and convert it into a mobile shower unit. For a week over the Christmas period of 2018, the ShowerBox trailer was in residence at the American International Church winter shelter offering showers to over 20 guests. Since then, it has serviced winter shelters across London and is currently located at St Giles Church, near Tottenham Court Road tube station. A group of volunteers and myself offer showers, toiletries and other essentials to around 25 guests each session. Up until August 2020, we raised over £10k in donations on JustGiving, and along with an incredible £5k grant by the wonderful Somers Town Community Association, we bought a towing vehicle and a container to be converted into a double shower room, as well as insurance, fuel, underwear and more.