Unless you've been avoiding the news for the past few years, you'll know that period poverty in this country is a big problem. An extraordinary one in 10 girls have been unable to afford sanitary products. A similar number have had to "improvise" their sanitary wear, using things like socks, T-shirts or tissue paper.
The statistics (from a study done by Plan International UK) make for shocking reading. Even more so when you take into account that not having access to sanitary products can end up with girls missing school – an integral part of them getting ahead and making their place in this world.
Period poverty doesn't stop at schoolgirls, of course. The growing homelessness problem in this country has highlighted another need. As if living between couches, shelters and the streets isn't hard enough, imagine having your period without regular access to bathrooms, or the sanitary products needed. And what about asylum seekers? Unable to work while seeking asylum means no money to buy anything, let alone pads, tampons and the rest.
One part of the UK gets it. Scotland has had period poverty on its radar for a long time and recently became the first country in the world to pass a ruling that will provide free sanitary products to all school-age girls. It's a huge leap forward, and the country should be immensely proud.
However, that's Scotland. What about the rest of the UK and Ireland? Well, luckily there are some incredible organisations – both nationwide and local – that are doing their bit to help out the women in crisis in their areas. Click through to find out what's happening near you, and how you can get involved to help #endperiodpoverty.
The Red Box Project
UK-wide
These guys are a UK-wide organisation of volunteers which "quietly ensures that no young woman misses out on her education because of her period." They give boxes stocked full of sanitary wear to schools; all products have been donated via the network of collection points in community locations from cafés to public offices, libraries to shops.
They say: "We now have 118 projects across the UK and two set up in the USA. There are now over 800 active red boxes, 200 people involved and over 750 donation drop-off points. The project grows every day as the need becomes more and more apparent.
We think that it is beyond belief that young women are unable to access suitable sanitary protection and we will continue to work hard to combat period poverty."
How you can help: You can donate sanitary pads to your local Red Box, donate money via their website (even £2 would make a huge difference), volunteer your own time to help organise or even set up your own Red Box in your community.
Bloody Good Period
London & Leeds
These guys supply asylum seekers, refugees and others who can't afford the costs of having a period with donated sanitary products. They currently stock 15 asylum seeker drop-in centres in London and Leeds, although they'd like to stock more across the UK.
They say: "We think it's outrageous that period poverty should even be an issue in 2018 in this country, and we're not afraid to shout about it – because we think it's completely unacceptable that anyone should have to stuff a sock in their knickers when they bleed, or not go to school, or work, or basically go about their day because of the insecurity that comes with having to use loo roll instead of a pad, or reuse blood-soaked pads that pose a serious risk to their health... or any of the other shocking scenarios that we hear about all too often."
How you can help: Loads of ways! Donate via their JustGiving page, buy supplies via their Amazon wishlist, apply to volunteer (there are loads of different jobs: managing the locker where they store donations, help with graphic design, marketing and much more) or, if you like comedy, attend one of their Bloody Funny comedy nights. The next one is 2nd October at the Conway Hall in London.
The Trussell Trust
UK-wide
This network of food banks has been instrumental in helping families across the UK feed themselves, especially over the past few years. They don't just collect food though; they also collect toiletries – sanitary products, in particular.
They say: "Where a family is experiencing financial hardship and has been in receipt of emergency support from a food bank, that household may inevitably include women struggling to access vital feminine hygiene products. £2-5 per month is just too much of a stretch for some, and if a family has two teenage daughters it’s only too easy to see how this monthly expense could become unaffordable. For this reason, the vast majority of our food banks go above and beyond the provision of food and stock what The Trussell Trust believes must be considered as a basic necessity. The Whitehawk food bank in Brighton runs a fantastic scheme called 'Monthlies', where young women can collect a pack of sanitary products, chocolate and wipes on a monthly basis."
How you can help: You can, of course, donate pads, tampons, etc. to your local food bank or via one of their many supermarket collection points. Otherwise, you can donate money, volunteer your time or even fundraise for them. More information here.
Freedom4girls
Leeds-based charity who collect donations from individuals and companies like Bodyform, (who donated 3,600 packets of sanitary towels to the charity), and distribute them out to women and girls in the community and worldwide who are in need.
They say: "We actively support women and girls in both the UK and worldwide, who struggle to access safe sanitary protection. We envisage a world in which no girl or woman suffers from period poverty or stigma associated with their periods. No girl should miss school because she is on her period. No woman should be forced to miss work because she is on her period. Please help us end worldwide period poverty, together!"
How you can help: There are around 50 donation stations around Leeds you can use to drop off sanitary products. Alternatively you can donate money , attend a workshop making re-usable sanitary products, or set up a donation station of your own.
Homeless Period Ireland
Dublin and Nationwide
Now with 24 different collection points across Ireland, Homeless Period exists to help women in crisis by taking your donations and distributing them among various homeless shelters and food banks.
They say: "After witnessing the significant number of homeless women in Dublin and the lack of access to basic sanitation and female hygiene products, in December 2016 the Homeless Period Dublin initiative was born with a view to helping women and girls who found themselves in this situation every month and highlight the issue to the general public. The Homeless Period Ireland hopes to educate people about period poverty and the 'silent struggle' of many women living in Ireland, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. We want the government to take action as Scotland did this year with the introduction of a scheme that gives free sanitary products to women in need. Periods happen every month and unless you are experiencing it, it’s not at the forefront of people’s minds. The women we donate to are always incredibly grateful as it makes them feel like they are not forgotten."
How you can help: Take your donations to one of Homeless Period's drop-off points, or drop them an email to donate your time to help collect and organise the donations.
The Homeless Period
Southampton
Founder Kirsty heard about sanitary product donation schemes around the UK but didn't think period poverty would be a problem in Southampton, until she was proved wrong when a charity she used to work for told her how much providing menstrual products to clients cost their organisation.
They say: "This inspired me to build an online community of volunteers who could help me fill and empty collection boxes across the city so we could donate products to local shelters, refuges, support groups, care homes, supported accommodation and more youth charities. We're a small project, and we're not here to change the world or even eradicate homelessness in the city... we just want to give vulnerable people one less thing to have to worry about, and also ensure these brilliant local charities aren't spending chunks of what precious funding they have on something as basic as a pack of towels. At Christmas, we held a big packing party which we called the 'Festive Period' party and the turnout was amazing! One mother and daughter duo had decided not to buy Christmas presents within their family, and instead had pooled all the funds into buying a sackful of menstrual products and chocolates to donate – it was so touching!"
How you can help: Leave donations at one of their drop-off points around Southampton or donate via Amazon or GoFundMe. To get involved in the Southampton project, find Kirsty on Facebook: @PeriodSoton. "Alternatively," she says, "anyone interested in starting their own project, they can drop me a message and I'd be happy to advise!"
The Lunar Project
York
Founded by a group of young women after doing outreach work with rough sleepers and realising that the women had no access to menstrual products. The Lunar Project are aiming to eradicate period poverty in York by 2020.
They say: "We provide local community services with our pink boxes, 80-litre crates full of a variety of supplies including clean underwear, which service users can help themselves to. We continue to work to not only eradicate period poverty in York but to smash the stigma surrounding menstruation which has contributed to period poverty. We have supplied hundreds of our service users with products over the past year and ensure any women who are rough sleeping are provided for."
How you can help: "We always welcome fundraising through our GoFundMe page and donations of supplies which can be donated to York libraries throughout the city."
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