Donate a Wash for the NHS and vulnerable

Our NHS heroes have enough challenges fighting the Covid-19 pandemic - doing their laundry after a 14 hour shift on the front line shouldn’t be one of them. 

OXWASH are proud to be supporting the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Oxfordshire County Council through our 'Donate-a-Wash' campaign.

We will provide 2500 free sterilisation washes to those who need it the most during these challenging and tumultuous times. #Donateawash

www.oxwash.com/donateawash 

Context

At OXWASH doing laundry safely and hygienically is what we do best. We are determined to help in any way we can to make the lives of those facing the COVID-19 crisis a little easier and a little safer. 

Not only is doing laundry a chore, but it is also essential from a contamination and hygiene perspective. It is believed that the COVID-19 virus can remain active on textiles for up to 72 hours, so ensuring sterilisation through regular washing is key, especially for those working in higher risk areas. 

We realise that doing laundry for the vulnerable and elderly is a chore that often requires the support of family, friends or care workers and due to self isolation and increased risks, those options may be problematic or simply no longer available. We are working with the Oxfordshire Country Council and the Live Well project to push out out free services to those in the Oxfordshire community who could benefit most from our support. 

We will offer these free washes to the following groups within Oxford:

- NHS workers 
- Elderly members of the community
- Vulnerable individuals 



How Donate-a-Wash works

For every £10 donation you make, we will offer a free wash anywhere within the Oxford ring road. Our initial aim is to offer 5000 free washes, but we anticipate going beyond this with further fundraising, should the need be there. 

To redeem these free washes, visit our website www.oxwash.com/donateawash or simply call our dedicated phone line on 01865 548462 or email us at [email redacted]. We will provide you with a unique promo code that can be redeemed through our website for a free mixed bag of laundry. 

Please note: NHS workers will be asked for their NHS email address (e.g. nhs.uk, nhs.net)

Please do call on behalf of someone elderly or vulnerable you think could use our service, as we realise those we are hoping to help may not have access to the internet! We pride ourselves in our flexibility and agility, so we will do our absolute best to accommodate everyone that needs us. 


Background

OXWASH are already working with the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on a pilot project to wash the extra demand for scrubs in the JR, Churchill and Horton hospitals. We are also working with the Oxford GP practices to wash the scrubs their staff are now wearing in light of the added strain on surgeries.

Press article: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/18352940.oxwash-oxford-laundry-service-helps-nhs/



Where will my money go?

All donations will go directly towards offering free washes to those who really need them. OXWASH will not profit from this initiative and is looking only to cover their basic costs to be able to offer this free service to those who need it the most. If we overfund the campaign we will convert every pound into free credit for those who need it the most. 


Technical Information

We have worked hard to update our processes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure we maintain the safety of our staff, customers and wider Oxfordshire community. 

We have introduced contactless collections, dissolvable laundry bags, comprehensive cleaning schedules and an enhanced hot wash cycle with added chemical and Ozone sterilisation to ensure all items are washed above and beyond the NHS guidelines of 60℃ for 10 minutes. 

Oxwash enhanced wash cycle:

- 60℃  held for a minimum of15 minutes 
- Advanced chemical sterilisation
- Ozone sterilisation

We have put in stringent safety measures and enhanced high temperature wash cycles to ensure the safety of those using our service, as well as our cherished employees who are continuing to work through this process. 


About Us 

OXWASH is an on-demand sustainable laundry startup based in Oxford that is working to combine revolutionary new laundry technologies with cutting-edge solutions in sustainable urban transport. 

Founded in 2017 by ex-NASA scientist Dr Kyle C. Grant (Forbes 30 under 30), OXWASH is operational in Oxford and Cambridge and will be launching in London by the end of the year. 


Our thanks to...

The Oxford Foundry https://www.oxfordfoundry.ox.ac.uk/ @OxFoundry
The Saïd Business School https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/ @OxfordSBS
Particular thanks to Ana, Amy and the team at the Oxford Foundry and Saïd Business School for their unwavering support and motivation to pursue projects such as this in the face of such uncertainty. 

Dr Paul Ch'en, GP @ the Observatory Medical Practice. 
Paul has been invaluable in instigating our pilot project with the GP surgeries in Oxford, as well as helping us navigate the intricacies of the NHS procurement landscape.  

Founders Factory https://foundersfactory.com/@FoundersFactory 
We are very excited to have just kicked off with the Founders Factory bespoke accelerator program in London. Damian, Levi, Amy and the team have been invaluable in supporting us those these tumultuous times. 

Get Involved/Get In touch

Please share our fundraising campaign with anyone you think might have the means to support our initiative. 

Please also let any NHS workers know about our free washes. We will be reaching out to them directly through various channels, but the more NHS heroes who are able to benefit from our services, the better!

For any press enquiries, please contact [email redacted] 

Thank you so much for your support!

The OXWASH team.