Tackling hygiene poverty and social isolation
About Kitty’s Launderette
Kitty’s Launderette is a community launderette based in Anfield, Liverpool. Named after Kitty Wilkinson, a pioneer of the wash house movement, the launderette provides an affordable and eco-friendly laundry service for the local community.
However, the work of Kitty’s Launderette extends far beyond its vital laundry services, as it provides an inclusive and welcoming space for local residents to come together, socialise, and be creative.
How does Kitty’s Launderette make a difference?
Kitty’s Launderette uses its laundry services as a catalyst for providing a meaningful space for the local community. It aims to provide everyone in the neighbourhood with easy access to quality and affordable laundry services, to alleviate rising levels of hygiene and fuel poverty and white goods debts. Furthermore, the launderette provides quality and flexible jobs for the local community and pays its staff the real living wage.
The Launderette provides easy access to quality and affordable laundry services, to alleviate rising levels of hygiene and fuel poverty and white goods debts.
Meaningful community engagement is a cornerstone of Kitty’s Launderette. It has a jam-packed calendar of events, ranging from weekly tea and toast sessions and cinema nights to creative events where locals can try crafts such as knitting, tufting, and cyanotype printing. It also works to ensure that the local community has the support it needs, through organising regular advice drop-ins on topics such as housing.
Kitty’s Launderette has a jam-packed calendar of events, including weekly tea and toast sessions and cinema nights.
Kitty’s Launderette also collaborates with, and supports, other community groups in Liverpool and beyond. Additionally, the launderette is keen to share its learnings on its cooperative model and showcase the importance of groups being driven and held accountable by the local community.
How did they do it?
The local community drove the development of Kitty’s Launderette. The founders of the laundrette worked with the community over the course of three years to build a vision for the organisation. They also used these years to develop a strong business plan and identify suitable premises for the launderette. Kitty’s Launderette opened to the public in May 2019 and has been open six days a week ever since.
The laundrette’s founders worked with the community for three years to build a vision for the organisation.
Kitty’s Launderette is a workers’ community co-operative. This model was chosen to ensure the organisation reflected the needs of its workers and the wider community. Customers do not have to be co-op members to use the facilities, but the launderette informs the community about membership benefits, including voting rights at the annual general meeting (AGM).
A workers’ community co-operative model was chosen to ensure the organisation reflected the needs of its workers and the wider community.
Kitty’s Launderette has a staff team of nine, all of whom are local people and co-operative members. The worker team operates within a non-hierarchical/ flat structure and all work is valued equally so workers are paid the same hourly wage.
Kitty’s Launderette is a social enterprise, and staff have worked hard to make it a resilient and sustainable business. The launderette offers a range of essential services, such as washing and drying, as well as premium and commercial services such as ironing and eco dry cleaning. The provision of a broad service offer enables Kitty’s Launderette to keep the core services at affordable prices. It is currently exploring opportunities to increase revenue, including purchasing a delivery van and expanding its commercial offer.
What would help unlock Kitty’s Launderette’s potential?
- The cost of running a business is increasing, due to rising energy costs as well as higher employer national insurance contributions. Easier access to funding opportunities that enable the business to expand would be beneficial.
- Kitty’s Launderette is keen to share how it works and partner with like-minded organisations, locally and nationally. More spaces and platforms should enable this type of knowledge-sharing and networking.
- 2025 is the UN International Year of Co-operatives and more can be done to inform people of the history and importance of the co-operatives in the UK. Recognition of and support for the co-op model would be welcomed.
Advice for other community projects
- Think about community needs and how these can be met while creating spaces for togetherness.
- Take a democratic approach and ensure the people you work with are informed and included.
- Decisions should be made collectively and for the whole community’s benefit.
- Work to upskill the local community and bring them on the journey with you.
