During our May 2025 campaign, The Nappy Collective identified a significant shortfall in the western region between the number of nappies requested by charity partners and those received through donations. Local organisations supporting families in crisis requested 70,380 nappies, however only 25,416 nappies were donated, meeting just 36% of identified need.
This gap highlights the growing impact of the cost of living crisis on families with young children. Nappies are an essential health and hygiene item, yet many families are unable to afford sufficient supplies. Without access to clean nappies, families face increased risks to hygiene, health and wellbeing, with flow-on impacts for children’s development and increased stress for parents and carers.
Funding from Greater Western Water will enable The Nappy Collective to directly purchase nappies to address this shortfall and provide immediate relief to families in the western region. By supplementing donations with targeted procurement, we can ensure a more consistent and equitable supply to frontline organisations supporting vulnerable communities.
Access to adequate nappies supports safe hygiene practices, reduces health risks, and aligns with broader community wellbeing outcomes. This project will improve health and dignity for families while strengthening the capacity of local services to respond to increasing demand.
