Red Box Project aims to end ‘period poverty’

A new project aiming to end ‘period poverty’ and its effect on young girls’ education through providing free sanitary products has reached Rochdale.

Statistics from girls’ rights charity Plan International UK show that period poverty is a very real problem as one in ten girls (10%) have been unable to afford sanitary wear, whilst one in seven girls (15%) have struggled to afford sanitary products.

The Red Box Project was initiated in March 2017 by three friends who wanted to give young women in their local area access to sanitary products.

After reading about period poverty in the news, they were angered at the idea that young women were missing out on their education because they couldn’t afford the products they needed during their period.

Figures from Opinium Research Survey August 2017 show:

• Nearly half (48%) of girls aged 14-21 in the UK are embarrassed by their periods
• Only one in five (22%) girls feel comfortable discussing their period with their teacher
• 49% of girls have missed an entire day of school because of their period, of which 59% have made up a lie or an alternate excuse

The friends decided to take action and the Red Box Project was borne, quietly ensuring that no girl misses school because she has her period, whilst also providing free sanitary items in schools across the country.

The project sponsors and stocks red boxes in schools filled with sanitary pads, tampons and spare underwear, meaning that no girl has to forego her education because of her period, or struggle with affording appropriate menstrual care.

The local Red Box Project Rochdale is co-ordinated by Anna Stokes, of Heywood, who took on the role in June.

 

 

Mother-of-two Anna said: “I had been following the Bury project and was aware of period poverty. When a vacancy opened for Rochdale, I couldn’t believe it wasn’t already here. We need more people to hear about and donate to the project, which is a community kindness project.

“We have arranged boxes for three high schools and one primary across Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale. We provide for girls for the entire length of their period, so they can come and take what they need from the box.”

The local project currently needs donations of sanitary towels and light/medium flow tampons, donations of knickers and tights, drop-off points, volunteers to collect products from drop-off points, help at events, one-off or ongoing workplace collections, plus help with printing.

A local business, Tontarelli, based on Stakehill Industrial Estate, has already backed the project, providing 24 red bins that will be used both for storage and to set up additional donation drop-off points.

Anna added: “Marcia Townson contacted me and arranged it all. She heard about our project, saw the boxes I was using and thought they may be able to help.”

Anna is also in the process of lining up drop-off collections at local libraries across the borough, but at the moment, donations can be made at: Derby Street Children’s Centre (Heywood), Morrisons (Heywood), Phoenix Centre (Heywood), Demesne Community Centre (Middleton), Tesco (Middleton), Xercise4Less (Middleton), Tesco (Rochdale), Nye Bevan House (Rochdale), Croft Shifa (Rochdale), Morrisons (Rochdale).

 

Help end period poverty

To donate, visit:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/redboxprojectrochdale

Alternatively, if you can help the Red Box Project Rochdale in any way, email Anna:

redboxprojectrochdale@gmail.com