Why 4 All is proud to offer Bins for Boys

The need for sanitary bins in men’s toilets is not something many of us have ever had to think about. But for those left incontinent from cancer treatment, it’s a daily reality.

That’s why when we heard about the brilliant Bins for Boys initiative launched by Shropshire charity Lingen Davies, we didn’t hesitate to sign up.

There are now much-needed sanitary bins in place at our Ditherington Community Centre, and we’re encouraging the many other centres and locations we use across the county to follow suit.

As part of the scheme, there’s also a list of Bins for Boys venues on the Lingen Davies website, giving those who might need them the chance to check ahead of visiting a location whether they have signed up.

Why are Bins for Boys important?

For those who’ve had prostate, bladder, colorectal or pelvic cancers, short-term incontinence can unfortunately be a symptom of the cancer itself, or occur as a result of treatment such as radiotherapy or surgery. Among the most likely men to experience long-term incontinence are those who have undergone treatment for prostate cancer, with up to 90% experiencing short-term incontinence and between 5% and 15% long-term effects for more than 12 months after surgery.

There are also a range of other conditions such as Parkinson’s, spinal cord injury and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which can leave individuals needing to use pads, pouches, stomas, catheters, colostomy or ileostomy bags. All of which need to be disposed of discretely, hygienically and safely.

Our Director of Operations George Hounsell said:

“4 All Foundation is all about encouraging everyone from communities across Shropshire and beyond to take part in activities and programmes. Something as simple as not having the necessary bins in toilets could potentially stop someone coming to our centre, so when we heard how simple it was to sign up to Lingen Davies’ scheme it was an obvious yes from us.

“Putting a bin in place, with signage indicating that we’re a Bins for Boys venue, is such a small thing for an organisation, but for a man who needs to use those facilities it could make the difference between them feeling able to come along and take part in an activity, and them staying at home.

“Someone who’s already going through an illness, or has been through cancer treatment, has already faced enough – without feeling like they can’t get out and about due to a lack of facilities. We’d really encourage all of our partner organisations to join too, and help get rid this potential barrier when it comes to people accessing venues around Shropshire.”

To find out more about why this project is so important, you can read Andy’s Story, and there’s more information about Bins for Boys and the venues already signed up on the Lingen Davies website.