Cognifide, the London-based marketing tech consultancy, celebrated International Women’s Day the best way – by making real change.

The firm rallied together colleagues, members of the public and other organisations in order to collect as many toiletries as possible, before donating a whopping 200 hundred boxes to Hestia. The toiletries will help to support women who are fleeing domestic abuse and women who have experienced the trauma of modern slavery.

The campaign, #ProjectShoebox, was set up to provide women in crisis with fundamental, everyday items that they would otherwise have limited access to. The women arriving in our domestic abuse refuges often arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs, highlighting the crucial need and importance of campaigns like #ProjectShoebox.

Patrick Ryan, CEO of Hestia, said:

“For many women and children escaping an abusive relationship, having to leave in a hurry means that they often arrive at our refuges with little more than the clothes they are wearing. It is often the simple things, like having a toothbrush or shower gel, which can result in women returning to abusive homes.

With the generosity of the staff at Cognifide, these women can begin to feel like themselves again and recover from the trauma of domestic abuse. Hestia is proud to be working with Cognifide to celebrate women in our refuges on International Women's Day." 

Donation boxes were set up at Cognifide’s Head Office at the beginning of the year, before being boxed up and delivered to Hestia's Head Office on International Women’s Day, 8 March.

Boxes were full to the brim with essential items including shower gel, hairbrushes, sanitary products and toothpaste.

We’d like to extend a massive thank you to Cognifide and all individuals and organisations that donated, including The Farm Group, DS Smith, J Walter Thompson London, WundermanUK, VMLY&R London and Simple Skincare. You're changing lives!

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