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For almost a year, the Change Please team has been developing Serious Tissues – a 100% recycled toilet paper brand – with an intention to tackle climate change by planting trees all over the world.
But the outbreak of coronavirus has presented a more immediate need, so the launch has been brought forward from the summer so the company can start making a difference right now.
Rather than focusing on climate change, every penny of profit will go towards helping patients and the amazing NHS staff and volunteers who are dealing with this crisis on behalf of all of us.
100% of the profits from Serious Tissues will be in aid of the NHS Charities Together COVID-19 Urgent Appeal. The Appeal is being coordinated by NHS Charities Together – the umbrella organisation of 170 NHS Charity trusts across the country.
The money will be used to help NHS workers including doctors, nurses and volunteers plus patients as they deal with the extraordinary and unexpected demands of fighting this pandemic.
‘The world has changed rapidly in the past 100 days, so we’ve quickly mobilised and changed our focus from climate change to fighting this terrible pandemic. The brand was created to tackle the world’s most serious issues and there is nothing more serious at the moment than coronavirus. We want to do all we can to help the heroes on the frontline within the NHS so 100% of our profits will go to this urgent NHS appeal.
‘Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen people up and down the country panic buying toilet roll and we believe we can turn this behaviour into a force for good. There are just under 20 million families in the UK. If we can get one million families to change to Serious Tissues (5%), we can give at least £10m to the NHS appeal which will be vital both during and after the pandemic.’CHRIS BAKER
One of the founders of Serious Tissues
The funds will be used where they are most needed and distributed by local NHS charities. They will provide wellbeing packs including food deliveries, snacks, refreshments, wash kits and overnight stay kits to help the workers through the demanding long shifts they’re putting in to fight the disease.
‘We’re so grateful to be receiving the profits from Serious Tissues’ sales. The funds will help us support the wellbeing of NHS staff, volunteers and patients affected by COVID-19. It really is a brave new world when even our toilet tissue can help make such a difference to so many lives.’
ELLIE ORTON
CEO of NHS Charities Together
The money will also help with the cost of travel, parking and accommodation for staff and volunteers, any unexpected requirements over the next few months and will support the recovery of NHS staff and volunteers after the pandemic, in the form of respite, rehabilitation and mental health recovery.
The target for the NHS Charities Together Appeal is £100m; since launching on 23 March, it has already raised £83m, with a number of high-profile corporate and celebrity donations.
Change Please helps homeless people off the streets by training them as coffee baristas. When the pandemic is over, its Serious Tissues brand will return to tackling climate change, with a tree planted for every roll of toilet paper sold.
Every year, 10 million trees are cut down to make toilet paper across the world, a statistic that beggars belief when we consider the importance of trees in capturing carbon and mitigating climate change.
Mainstream toilet rolls come primarily from trees. Serious Tissues don’t. They are 100% recycled – made from paper recycled from offices and homes – and therefore offer a more sustainable option in the bathroom while still offering the strength and softness of product that we are all used to. The company says its Premium range compares favourably with anything available in the supermarket.
The product is available to buy at the Serious Tissues website. It will be delivered directly to your home and it can be bought as either a single order or as a subscription, meaning you will continue to support NHS Charities Together throughout the pandemic and avoid the supermarket.
The Standard range is £24 per box of 36 and the Premium range is £28 per box of 36. Both come with a 5% discount for subscription.
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