WHAT WE DO
WHAT WE DO
Understanding & addressing
Pant Poverty
The inception of Let’s Get Our Knickers in a Twist stems from the realisation about a basic need that is often overlooked – the need for new underwear among women in need who are facing challenging life circumstances. The one item that cannot be donated second hand, yet a complete necessity for hygeine, comfort and dignity.
The term Period Poverty is well known so we have coined the term Pant Poverty because who’s been thinking about pants!? This issue comes alongside the one of period poverty and we are currently working alongside other organisations who tackle such to try and provide collaborated solutions. Unfortunately, if women do have access to sanitary wear, but not underwear, many of the sanitary products cannot be utilised effectively and the issue still persists. This is an issue of both practicality and dignity.
The spark of realisation
This is me, Serena, the founder of Let’s Get Our Knickers in a Twist.
While volunteering at women’s refuge centers, I listened to countless stories from both the staff and their clients. It became glaringly apparent that these centers were in a constant state of desperate need for underwear. The clients, often in extremely vulnerable situations, faced many challenges that were often worsened due to their lack of access to underwear. This stark reality was something many of us, including myself, had never fully comprehended or even considered.
The realisation that something as basic as underwear, often in abundance in our own lives, is a privilege inaccessible to many, was both shocking and eye-opening. We take for granted our well-stocked underwear drawers, seldom facing a shortage even on laundry days. Yet, for some women, this basic necessity often remains out of reach.
Why The Shortage?
Firstly, there’s a general lack of awareness about this need. Many of us haven’t considered the luxury of owning multiple pairs of underwear, much less the plight of those who don’t have even one. Additionally, donating underwear requires a conscious effort and a different kind of sacrifice. While it’s easy to pass on used clothes, buying new underwear to donate demands more – more intention, more resources, and more time.
Our mission
Inspired by these realisations, Let’s Get Our Knickers in a Twist was born. Our mission isn’t just to provide underwear to those in need, but also to raise awareness about this critical yet often ignored issue. With the uprise of charity shopping and clothing donations, women in need now have somewhat improved access to second-hand clothing; however, many people forget that the one item that charities cannot take second-hand donations of and charity shops cannot sell is underwear, due to personal hygiene reasons. There is consequently a dire deficiency of brand-new underwear available for women who need it most and we are fighting for that access to underwear to be created.
We accept both donations of unused packaged underwear and monetary donations to spend on buying such. The items are distributed to individuals and women’s refuge centres around the UK and now globally.
Let’s Get Our Knickers in a Twist works around a dual empowerment model too. We aim not only to empower the women we donate to, but also empower those who want to help support the organisation through impactful fundraising efforts and community building. This approach ensures that the act of giving is as empowering for the donors as it is beneficial for the recipients, creating a sustainable cycle of support and solidarity among women.
Join Us in Our Effort
We challenge you to rethink the way you view your underwear drawer and to recognise the privilege it represents. We invite you to join us in our mission to make new underwear accessible to every woman who needs them. Your contribution, big or small, can make a significant difference in someone’s life. Let’s work together to ensure that no woman has to go without this basic necessity, one pair at a time.
