Warden Hill WI members have come up with a unique scheme to help patients who find themselves staying in hospital unexpectedly and who have not brought a toiletries bag with the basic things needed to maintain their personal hygiene and dignity.
The WI group have been inventive and made use of their personal contacts in a couple of airlines to source travel-sized hotel samples of basics like shampoo, shower gel, soap and face flannels.
The ladies have provided the toilet bags and other items like toothbrushes and toothpaste.
A member of the group came up with the idea after talking to a friend. The ladies agreed that it would be embarrassing to have to stay in hospital but not have the ability to have a good wash and brush-up.
Not everyone has family members close at hand to bring these things immediately to patients and it seems a very practical way of helping others in the community, something the WI prides itself on.
The WI has already made up 100 emergency toilet bags which they are distributing to Luton & Dunstable Hospital. These are expecially useful for patients who arrive as emergency admissions and have not had the chance to prepare a bag of necessities for a hospital stay.
Group organiser Pat Catlin is liaising with the manager of Voluntary Services at the LEmergency &D, Karen Bush, who was delighted to receive the filled toilet bags.