World Toilet Day

Or, why not twin twin your bog with one in the third world, in the interest of providing clean water and sanitation for those far less fortunate than anyone in this country? Which is what this thread is supposed to be about.

Me, me, me!

The problem is that no one tier of local government has an obligation to provide toilet facilities. County Councils, District Councils, Town and Parish Councils are all permitted to do so, but with spending cuts none of them can afford it.

Perhaps we could encourage toilet blocks in memory of someone - it would make a change from the inevitable bench. I can see the inscription now "This facility is provide by a legacy from someone who had to resort to peeing behind hedges because of the absence of toilets on this stretch of the A6."

Why not?

I let them choose a country. I haven't a clue.

Right. I've done it for my grandsons' lav. That'll surprise 'em.

#education

Sorry, g.a., I just left it to them to choose the country. All the best with your toilet collecting.

Lack of toilets at schools in Asia mean that many girls stop attending school once they reach puberty. Overseas development aid runs projects to provide decent facilities. Tackles health and female education in one.

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?

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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!

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?

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...

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.

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.

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.

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!

Many women drivers inject themselves to stop their periods.

Are you sure of that goldengirl?

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!

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.