A TOWN toilet twinning scheme is flushed with success after the organisers signed up the 50th loo – 30 more than expected.
Former Teesdale MP Helen Goodman has signed up to the scheme, twinning her Barnard Castle loo with one in the Democratic Republic of Congo to help make a difference to people living there.
She said: “We take it for granted having one or more toilets in our homes, but across the world a billion people don’t have a clean safe loo.
“This has serious impacts on the health of children – a child dies every two minutes from a sanitation related illness.
“This impacts particularly on women and girls. Girls drop out of school and women often use the toilets only at night when they get bitten by snakes. So, when I found this out, I thought twinning my toilet was a great solution. You pay £60 and this finances a toilet for someone who hasn’t got one. We are twinned with a family in the Democratic Republic of Congo – a country where people have suffered a very violent civil war. So, it’s nice to help.”
Whenever an existing toilet is twinned, a new toilet is built in an area where hygiene and health are at risk because of poor sanitation. The scheme is spearheaded by resident Ian Blake, who moved to the town almost four years ago.
Mr Blake’s toilet-twinning efforts continued throughout the pandemic and Barnard Castle has now sponsored 29 individual latrines and five school blocks. Ms Goodman’s twinning brings the total twinned in Barnard Castle to 50.
Mr Blake said: “It has been amazing. I didn’t think we would anywhere near the 20 we needed to get toilet twinning town status, so to hit 50 is superb.
“The town, residents and businesses have been so supportive of the scheme and each twinning makes an incredible difference to the community which gains a toilet and helps with privacy, dignity and overall health and hygiene.”
He added if anyone wished to twin a toilet as a Christmas present for friends or relatives, then they can email
[email protected].
