Period poverty

[Poppyred85]

I had this on woman's hour this morning. Two young women talk about not being able to afford sanpro and a campaigner encourages people who donate to food banks to think about donating tampons/pads etc too. This is going on all over the country and we still have MPs who vote in favour of the tampon tax. FFS.

Link: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08hl5nc

MPS haven't had a vote on the tampon tax. They cannot do anything g about it as it is an EU tax.

I think sanpro is mentioned frequently when breads come up about 'what can I give to a foodbank?'

I always gave toothbrushes/past and sanpro when my kids had their harvest festival collections at school (normally for donation to the local shelters)... they always hid them at the back, or left them in the bag under the table for some reason - I remember being skint and having to wad up toilet paper, and hoping it didn't fall out when walking, so I fully appreciate how embarrassing it can be.

Great idea to donate these items to food banks, what a good awareness campaign.

I find it hard to believe abolishing tax on these items will make enough of a difference though. On the cheapest packet of towels that could be 1.5p.

Sorry more like 6p.

I read something the other day from a charity saying they've started giving out San pro in the UK as some girls weren't able to afford it and were missing school as a result :(

www.the-pool.com/news-views/latest-news/2017/11/girls-in-leeds-are-missing-school-because-they-dont-have-access-to-period-products

Thanks for reminding me - I will try to make this a regular thing when I do the weekly shop.

This is going on all over the country and we still have MPs who vote in favour of the tampon tax

They have not voted in favour of a tampon tax. I agree including towels etc in food bank donations is a good idea.

You can buy a cheap menstrual cup for three pound. Mine is great. I may take some in next time I shop for food bank. Not everyone will want one, but some may try it.

Just bumping this thread. It would be great if as many MNers as possible could start donating sanpro to food banks.

Good idea Empress

I feel so heartbroken to read

metro.co.uk/2017/03/15/british-girls-are-missing-school-because-they-cant-afford-tampons-6510314/

about the girls missing school because their family cannot spare the money for sanitary products. I donate San pro to food banks but I wonder if donating to libraries and schools might also be useful? If form teachers or someone friendly at a school had access to some packs of sanitary towels and tampons then it might be of use to many girls.

My apologies. It was an amendment to the Government Finance Bill, which planned to force negotiations with the EU to scrap the tax that some MPs voted against. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tampon-tax-here-are-the-mps-who-voted-against-the-amendment-to-scrap-it-a6711606.html

There was also this really good article in the Morning Star last month:

www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-96f4-The-Period-Drama-DIY-fundraising-for-homeless-women#.WMmg7vnyjIU

Twenty first century Britain

This is where money from the Tampon Tax should be going, and the Govt should be using taxpayers money to fund DV shelters

If men had periods this would be a total non-issue.
Happy to donate Sanpro but would young women go to the foodbank?
Is there some other way Sanpro could be made readily available? New MN campaign maybe?

Along time ago when I was a broke student I used to nip into a certain bar because they supplied tampons (a big basket of them) in the ladies. It was a pub joined to a gay bar upstairs & owned by a strip club owner of all things! But I'd meet friends for a drink, order tap water & fill my bag with tampons.

I would have thought supplies left in toilets at schools or libaries as suggested would make much better sence.

picklemepopcorn which brand and where from? I've seen super cheap ones on t'internet but would be good to get one that comes with a recommendation! Makes much better sense to give something reusable.

This is the one I bought. It is out of stock but the £2 ones at the bottom of the page look identical. It's softer than a mooncup, and I had trouble the first time but it was fine after that. You need to make sure it is open inside you- my prolapse kept it closed! I like the stalk, it is flat and ribbed and easy to grip.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AGB1FQA/ref=ohauiidetailpageo033s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks pickle, will keep and eye out for that. I'd have to speak to the food bank about cups probably as I suspect some of the volunteers/staff wouldn't know anything about them.

A good number of these young women will come from families who are either in receipt of foodbank assistance or just above the qualifying level. So donating sanpro to foodbanks is a great idea. I know there are teachers who bring in supplies for the kids in their classes along with food and drinks and they deserve enormous praise for doing so.

IT would need a little explanatory leaflet, and maybe a link to a website..., sanity.

And yet, it doesn't happen to girls, it happens to children

twitter.com/glosswitch/status/842644266828611584

Yessssss, I was just reading that on Twitter.

The organiser sounds like she means well but she hasn't thought things through.