Period Dignity consultation deadline fast approaching

There’s only a week to go until the Period Dignity consultation closes, so don’t miss your chance to have your say and help bring an end to period poverty in North Ayrshire.

Already distributed to schools and community partners, the online survey has been rolled out by North Ayrshire Council to capture the views and experiences of those accessing the free period products service.

The public has until midnight on Thursday April 14 to share their views. These will be reviewed and used to identify opportunities for improvement and inform the council’s future operating model.

Launched as part of North Ayrshire Council’s ongoing #perioddignity initiative, the council’s communities and facilities management teams recognise period poverty is not a new topic or a new issue, but recent studies suggest the problem has been exacerbated due to rising costs of living. With an average period lasting up to five days, regretfully a number of households struggle to afford the expense. This often means people across the country are then using unsuitable items, or nothing. The lack of suitable and hygienic supplies can then be a barrier to an individual’s participation in learning, workplace and recreational activities.

In 2017, North Ayrshire Council was proud to become the first local authority in the UK to offer free period products in its schools, libraries, community centres and public buildings.

But the council recognises there is still more work to be done and officers have been working closely with internal and external partners in a bid to reach the area’s most disadvantaged households and help improve access to period products.

Yvonne Baulk, head of service housing and public protection, commented: ‘North Ayrshire Council is committed to helping people in our communities tackle period poverty and we understand just how much of an issue period poverty is for so many.

‘It is something people can often find difficult or embarrassing to talk about so we recognise just how important it is to do all that we can as part of our #perioddignity pledge to end the stigma.

‘We are confident that by improving our free period products service, the council can help even more people overcome the obstacles associated with period poverty so that our citizens can have the confidence they need to succeed and thrive in North Ayrshire.’

To take part and have your say, visit the website: Period Dignity – North Ayrshire – North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership.