Well, the easiest way is to get Kenilworth the status of a Toilet Twinned Town. Our ambition is to get twenty loos across Kenilworth twinned with loos in the world’s poorest countries.
Why does a loo matter?
Well, we probably moan about the lack of public toilets these days, and particularly if we have to pay to ‘spend a penny’. However, it’s hard to imagine not having a clean loo available at home or in our workplace or school. As a woman or child, you’re especially vulnerable. You might miss school when you have your period, run the risk of attack when ‘going’ outside at night. And as Soroptimists our hashtags include #westandupforwomenandgirls, #transformingthelives of women.
You can read more about the stark statistics about the lack of a loo by clicking on this link Toilet Twinning sanitation
So as women of action –
Our Club decided that we should do something about this. By working with the charity Toilet Twinning, and the Town Mayor of Kenilworth, Sam Louden-Cooke we have launched our Town Toilet Twinning campaign. Our Club aims to get at least twenty toilets twinned in four of these categories: –
- Churches or other faith communities
- Schools or other educational establishments
- Public toilets
- Cafes, pubs or restaurants
- Local businesses or employers
- Community organisations / charities
Launch party
Club sponsored the Kenilworth Centre to have a toilet twinned with Malawi. Malawi seemed appropriate as we have a long history of supporting children in Malawi. We even managed to have a real (unused) toilet at the launch party. And of course, plenty of cake to tempt our guests with. The quiz was a great piece of fun to get the message home. If you fancy to test your knowledge, have a go via this link – Toilet-quiz-update-inc-answers.pdf (toilettwinning.org)
Happy Club members at the launch
Lions’ Charities Day
To keep the momentum going, we had a stall at the Kenilworth Lions’ Charities Day. With more games such as ‘Pin the Flush on the Loo’, Potty Ping Pong, and ‘Spend a Penny or a Pound’ to make a wish. A great day was had by all. AND we raised enough to sponsor another toilet!
We’re really pleased that our campaign has made it to the local news
www.warwickshireworld.com/news/people/initiative-launched-to-make-kenilworth-a-toilet-twinning-town-3841498?fbclid=IwAR34ynQkaFQW-2kxd6XnuuiA4_hamwg0Oidn1gZ5ovCacY7iLG97q7EaNWk
So, some thank You’s
- Caroline Eley at Leyes Lane Pharmacy who despite not being able to come to the launch day, has twinned her pharmacy loo.
- Kenilworth Lions Store who are considering sponsoring not just one toilet but aa whole block.
- Emmersons Printers for printing our giant-sized information posters and the ‘Pin the Flush on the Loo’ for free.
- Sam Louden-Cooke as Kenilworth Town Mayor this year for supporting our launch
- Sarah Kershaw from the Chamber of Trade for spreading the word.
- Kenilworth Allotment Society who have already twinned theirs.
If you fancy an alternative picture for your smallest room, or something for that hard to buy for relative, have a think about twinning. You too can feel flushed with success, or potty about this idea. Not only can you twin your toilet, but you can also twin your tap or even your bin. You may have the perfect toilet humoured joke or pun to share. Check the website out and have some fun whilst you do some good.