World Toilet Day

As someone with IBS who has a map of the local toilets engraved in my brain, plus those bushes/hedges that can be scaled to afford a bit of privacy, the idea of a toilet day appeals if it results in councils making sure that they have suitable facilities around for people.

It seems unbelievable that millions of people don't have access to a clean and private place to go to the toilet.. its not something I ever gave any thought to. It seems in many countries it isn't a priority for governments.

I just can't take it all on board. Children in Need, Ebola, refugees from wars, toilets in foreign parts.

Too much.

It's always been there though. Just not as easy in the past to access information on it, communications are so much better now.

Come on holiday to Wirral and you will be lucky to find a public toilet. The council have closed most of them so a day out can become a bit more adventurous than one would wish.

Theseus does a great deal of work for Wateraid, and has run several so itTion / fresh water projects in Africa. The one in Burkina Faso (used to be Upper Volta, third poorest country in the world) was the one that truly opened my eyes to what sanitation and clean water mean to people. In one village, they gave him three live chickens to say thank you - an enormous thing for them to give. (I think they were dealt with later...)

Wateraid shop has a gift section, where you can buy everything from taps to the materials for building a loo, and give the donation to someone as a gift, and that's what T asks for for Christmas and birthday presents, since we have everything we need.

I too have IBS and can't go anywhere unless there is a toilet not only en route but also at the destination. Those who are on certain medications, are pregnant, elderly, accompanied by children all need toilet access. Holding can cause bladder and bowel problems - and reduce concentration in drivers which needless to say is rather dodgy. Many women drivers inject themselves to stop their periods.

As many will know I'm campaigning for facilities for UK lorry drivers and ultimately all mobile workers to have access to toilets and hand washing facilities. Many drivers are refused access to toilets at the places they visit and there are very few facilities on laybys where drivers have to rest up. Not all routes are on motorways either.

Public toilets are not statutory and there is currently no statutory requirement for mobile workers either to have toilet access - although there is for static employees and construction workers.

So next time you see a lorry or have goods delivered, spare a thought for the driver who carries out his or her job in a professional manner but is discriminated against when it comes to wanting a loo!

Many women drivers inject themselves to stop their periods.

Are you sure of that goldengirl?

Inject themselves with what? I know taking 'the pill' without a break will prevent periods, but haven't heard of self-administered injections.

I have heard of delivery men using portable urinals in the back of the van if they can't easily find a toilet wherever they're delivering to, or they haven't got time. Hardly ideal, nor hygienic for that matter!

At least we have loos and fresh water in our homes. We went to India on holiday and saw the women in the houses adjacent to our hotel go into the bushes and tall grass in the mornings to go to the loo. It surprised me as I suppose I'd assumed they would at least use a 'bucket and chuck it' or dig a hole and make an earth toilet.

In Britain I'm all for more toilets being provided in lay-bys. Having been taken short on more than one occasion and finding that the obvious bush has been much fertilised isn't what you expect in a 'civilised' country. But since few councils even provide litter bins, and those that do don't empty them, what hope is there?

The state of our main trunk roads is a disgrace. Food wrappers, drink cans and those drink bottles half full of amber liquid (pee) emphasise the need for facilities.

Maybe we need a 'help for those that need a wee ' day? Nearly all Council run loos in Britain seem to have closed; we get over this by nipping into our local Council Building [a handsome edifice] and using theirs.Nobody ever notices or objects.

I've had it from the horse 's mouth Riverwalk so unless she - and others were telling porkies.........

Our local 'old town' is to be redeveloped - without toilets. The council wants to encourage visitors but they're not exactly going the right way to welcome them.

But what do they inject themselves with? And why? goldengirl

Surely not so they can drive without needing a loo - they'd still need to have a wee whether they were having a period or not...

Aren't we wandering off the point of the original post here?

Does it always have to be about us and our problems. In this comfortable world we live In?

If you're having to go to the loo in a bucket or by the roadside it's not particularly hygienic or easy to have to change a pad or a tampon as well Ana. I'm informed that they inject a contraceptive drug though I would imagine they could also take it orally. Whatever they do its not conducive to good health I would have thought. Why UK lorry drivers or any mobile workers are not considered worthy enough to have access to a toilet in the 20th century is beyond me. I recently learned that call centre staff can have their pay docked for using the toilet during their shift!

Thank you goldengirl, yes I imagine it wouldn't be easy, as you say.

The thread has wandered, jingl, as they tend to - perhaps you could put us back on the right track

Jingle A good point there. I acknowledge the difficulties in many parts of the UK for people with medical conditions, but the third world countries without proper facilities and few resources have a much greater problem.

I think this is a good way of promoting the issue.

A local church where my choir rehearses has a sponsored toilet poster in their toilets.

Ok Ana. I will try.

I have got a massive OCD problem with using a public toilet, anywhere. This, up until now, has been life restricting. I am just starting to be able to cope with it, with my daughter's help.

The BBC link in Grannyactivist's original post has made me ashamed. I realise how lucky I am.

How I would cope if I was one of the women in the link I cannot begin to imagine.

You're right, we do take toilets far too much for granted. I was reminded of this, which was reported earlier this year.

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jun/01/girls-toilet-rape-murder-anger-embarrassment

One result from me, grannyactivist - toilet has been twinned!

Our church toilet has a twinned toilet in Africa. We spent years raising money for a decent composting loo, It's a garden shed really, but with a nicer floor and washbasin but you can't use much water to wash your hands, and the composting part is for wees and the little amount of water available, for anything else.

So there we were, very proud of our basic but functioning loo that cost thousands and thousands (mainly because of planning permission etc. which is not exactly necessary in Africa) when we were sent photos of our twin. It was amazing! It put ours to shame. Under a beautiful little round thatched roof was a gleaming white-tiled throughout modern loo, with pipework and basin and everything. I thought it was very funny.

FarNorth that's made my day. For just £60 you will have revolutionised someone's life. Did you choose the country it's in? If so, which one? It's my ambition to buy a toilet in each of the ten countries.

One from me as well. Pay Pal is just too easy.

I know what you mean Nelliemoser - far too easy.
Thanks to your generosity though you've genuinely made a significant difference to someone's lives. Which country?