Red boxes tackle ‘period poverty’
ABIGAIL DONOGHUE
AWIDNES branch of The Red Box Project (RBP) has been set up to help young people on their period.
The Widnes Red Box Project was started earlier this month and has already seen boxes go to all three high schools in the area.
RBP aims to ensure that no young woman has to miss school or be embarrassed because of periods.
Louise Webster, organiser of the Widnes RBP, said: “I heard about The Red Box Project in St Helens and no-one was doing it in Widnes. I believe in community spirit and that you should always put yourself out for others. We have a family run florist in Hough Green so I knew that the community would pull together for this.”
Since starting at the beginning of September, the project already has donation stations set up in many businesses and has managed to put full red boxes in the three high schools in Widnes. The next aim is to get boxes in junior schools in the area as well. The RBP Widnes is ● also open to putting boxes in Girl Guide groups or youth clubs if they are needed.
Louise said: “The response is amazing. I’m blown away by all the offers for having a donation box, making a donation and offers of help. Girls helping girls – the true definition of girl power. I truthfully haven’t had to go looking for donation points, people have jumped right on board and contacted me.”
‘Period Poverty’ is a major issue throughout the UK, with latest research from children’s charity Plan International UK showing that one in 10 young women aged 14-21 have been unable to afford period products. More than that have had to improvise sanitary towels at some point. However, it is not just poverty that limits some young women’s access to sanitary products – social and cultural reasons can also explain why products are not available at home.
The Red Box Project was started in March 2017 by three friends in Portsmouth. They contacted secondary schools where teachers confirmed that the period poverty issue is real and resources were needed. There are currently more than 800 red boxes active in the UK and two in the US.
Red boxes full of sanitary towels and spare underwear are given to schools to be kept with a member of staff. Posters are also placed in the girls’ toilets and classrooms encouraging people in need of items to ask for the red box to take what they need.
The project also aims to break the stigma attached to periods and make school more comfortable.
A spokesperson for the project said: “A young person’s education will shape their future.
“We are determined that this will be the last generation of young people to suffer the indignity and embarrassment of period poverty.”
People can contact Louise at the Red Box ProjectWidnes Facebook page.
Donation boxes can be found at Presentation florist, Upton Rocks Surgery, DivaFit Uk, Spinney Ave Pre-school and Eddies Haberdashery.