Knickers for Dunkirk

Dunkirk refugee camp is currently home to around 800 refugees, including 150 women and almost 100 children.

All of these women are someone’s mother, sister, daughter, or wife. And just like the women you know, they relish the normality of gossiping over tea, washing their hair and looking after their friends and family.

However, given that the majority of refugees only have the clothes that they were wearing when they fled their country of origin, their normality is skewed even on the most personal level; many are either unable to change their underwear or are reliant on second hand donations.

After speaking with a volunteer doctor at the camp, we were told that the majority of these women are suffering from vaginal thrush, an itchy, painful and potentially damaging condition which is caused by many things including poor hygiene, stress and nutritional deficiency. Left untreated, vaginal thrush can lead to chronic infection, problems in pregnancy and even miscarriage. As well as being transmissible to men. Whilst the condition itself requires treatment, the ability to put on clean, dry underwear relieves the pain, discomfort and minimizes the risk of re-infection.

 An everyday “luxury” that we so often take for granted is that our underwear is just ours. Not donated, not stained, not second hand.

 That's why we're collaborating with Bras Not Bombs and their suppliers to give women the dignity to feel clean and feminine again. We are looking to raise £450, enough to buy each woman and child 5 pairs of fresh undies to call their own.

First-hand. Fresh. Feminine.

 A multipack of 5 pants costs just £1.75 - that's less than the cost of your meal deal, half a pint at the pub or even your morning coffee!