British Cleaning Council
Business leaders are rallying support for the lobbying campaign led by the British Cleaning Council (BCC) to prioritise cleaning and hygiene as a national concern. Individuals from the cleaning and hygiene sector, including Dave Wheadon from the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA), Billy Russell from Billy Russell Cleaning, and Angela Gill from Bio-Productions, are urging industry colleagues to get behind the campaign.
Dave Wheadon, CEO of the NCCA, encourages fellow NCCA directors to support the campaign. He says, “The only way we will make this succeed is by working together as an industry. The more people take part, the more likely this campaign will work.”
Angela Gill, Managing Director of Bio-Productions, emphasises the need for ongoing attention to cleaning and cleanliness. She says, “We’re at the end of a two or three-year period where hygiene became the top priority for the entire world. Now is the time to capitalise on that momentum and awareness and not let the lessons of the pandemic be forgotten.”
We need cleaning and hygiene to be a top priority in this country – it will help save lives in the long run.
Jim Melvin, Chairman of the BCC, says he’s grateful to all those who have supported the APPG report and the campaign. He highlights the importance of cleaning and hygiene, adding, “We need cleaning and hygiene to be a top priority in this country – it will help save lives in the long run. So please, if you haven’t already taken part, give us your support, it is easy to do.”
The APPG report has gained support from the British Cleaning Council and 21 associations representing the industry. Its recommendations, if implemented, would elevate cleaning and hygiene to a central position on the national agenda, enhancing resilience against current infections and preparing the country better for future public health emergencies.
To participate in the campaign, individuals can scan a QR code or visit the BCC website to access the letter, the APPG report, a petition, and details about their local MP. The initiative falls under the BCC’s We Clean, We Care campaign.
The Embedding Effective Hygiene for a Resilient UK report outlines 11 key recommendations, including establishing a joint Government-industry preparedness team, ensuring minimum levels of cleaning materials and equipment, considering increased production during emergencies, granting key frontline worker status to cleaning operatives, making cleaning staff eligible for the Skilled Worker Visa scheme, setting minimum standards for hygiene infrastructure, developing a standard qualification for cleaning within the Apprenticeship Levy, ensuring adequate training budgets for cleaning operatives, implementing clear and consistent government communications on hygiene, utilising behavioural science-based campaigns to promote hygienic behaviour, and supporting efforts to change perceptions of the cleaning and hygiene industry.
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