A speech by The Duchess of Cornwall at Boots UK to mark the national launch of the Washbag Project

Firstly I would like to say how much I have enjoyed my visit to the headquarters of Boots today, and what a pleasure it has been to meet so many of you who work in this enormous building. But more importantly to thank you all for your contribution to the Washbag Project; a project that we started to think about 5 years ago when I first became aware of quite how horrific the consequences of rape and sexual abuse are.  

I wanted to find a practical way of helping women and girls, and men, who had been left traumatised through no fault of their own, to have some comfort at such a distressing time. 

Thanks to Boots sponsoring this scheme, it has enabled all 49 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in this country to be supplied with these wash bags.  So, Ladies and Gentleman, once again my heartfelt thanks to everyone here at Boots, for your immense generosity, your invaluable help, and above all for showing your support to the SARCs, which are a lifeline to survivors of rape and sexual assault, as they rebuilt their shattered lives.