Home > Talking Pants > Talking Pants – June 2021

Total underwear collected is 1,631,671

We received 3,331 parcels in May. 500 of them were addressed to us at Livingston – an ongoing problem resulting from the sharing of old posts on social media. However, this amount is far less that we’d been receiving up to now, so I feel that the hard work of our smarty pants champions is paying off and the message that we have a new address for sending donations to is getting through! Thank you to everyone who has been helping to spread the word that we’re now at Five Sisters Business Park, Westwood, West Calder EH55 8PN, and correcting any old posts you see still circulating with our old address. Please keep it going!

Since our last Talking Pants, we’ve provided underwear to 5 organisations:

  • 70,000 pairs of new pants, and new and gently worn bras to the National Police Aid Convoy (NPAC).
  • 2,683 pairs of new pants to the Edinburgh School Uniform Bank (ESUB), Edinburgh.
  • 400 pairs of new pants to the Tumaini Fund, Kagera, Tanzania.
  • 403 pairs of new pants to Freedom4girls, Kenya & Uganda.
  • 571 pairs of new pants to the School Bank, West Lothian.

I find it hard to believe that Smalls will be 11 years young in August (August being when we received OSCR approval), and looking back over that time I’m grateful to so many people who have helped me over those 11 years.  Volunteers week, 1-7 June, was a perfect opportunity to say “thank you” to all our Smalls volunteers for the work they do. These wonderful, dedicated, hard-working people are what keeps me sane and Smalls running. Over the 7 days we highlighted each day a different aspect of what the volunteers do. I have no words to express how grateful I am to each and every one of them.

We love it when – Covid restrictions permitting – people come by to drop off or pick up donations. But our warehouse is a little hard to find for those who don’t know the area. So, I’d like to thank an anonymous donor who kindly donated some money for signage! When I say “anonymous”, she’s not anonymous to me, as she’s been with me from the very start of Smalls 11 years ago. But she doesn’t like a fuss and refuses to let me mention her by name. Not only has she been incredibly generous with donations (underwear & financial) but also with her kind words and encouragement. We, and everyone who will find it easier to find us now, would like to say a huge THANK YOU to her. 

We’re truly indebted to everyone who makes an underwear or financial contribution to support our work. It’s thanks only to your kindness and generosity that we’re able to carry on.

Maria