ShowerBox
1754. Sarah Lamptey
Sarah Lamptey, from London, founded ‘ShowerBox’ in autumn 2018 after fundraising and buying a trailer, converted into a mobile shower unit, to offer hygiene facilities to 35 homeless people each Saturday in central London.
Sarah started the voluntary project following many years as a volunteer at homeless shelters in London, and learning how little access many homeless people have to showers and hygiene facilities, and the impact this has not just on physical health but also mental wellbeing, and the stigma associated with not being able to maintain good physical hygiene. After a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2018, Sarah bought a trailer and converted this into a mobile shower unit to allow homeless people to safely shower for free. Since then, Sarah’s ‘ShowerBox’ has provided thousands of showers for homeless people in London, and the charity has just crowdfunded £25,000 to buy a trailer facility for a new Birmingham site.
In a personal letter to Sarah, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“I am lost in admiration for your brilliant ‘ShowerBox’ and everything you have done over three years to support homeless people with your mobile bathroom. It is a source of practical help to thousands of homeless people and also a source of dignity.
“Points of Light is about recognising people with brilliant ideas who are helping to make other people’s lives better. This is you.”
In response to receiving the award, Sarah said:
“I’ve tried my best to ensure that each step along the ShowerBox journey is the right one. There isn’t a guide for this though, as this is such new territory, and so the Points of Light award is a huge boost for myself and my volunteers. It’s a reminder that we are going in the right direction! Thank you so much.”
Pictured below: Sarah inside the ShowerBox.
