School offers free tampons after pupil pleads poverty

A COUNCIL is to become the first in England to dispense tampons for free in schools after a teenager launched a campaign to tackle “period poverty”.

Milton Keynes council has approved proposals for free sanitary products at all schools following a request from 13-year-old Paige Pilkington.

The Milton Keynes Academy pupil, who founded the campaign to provide free sanitary items for girls from poorer families, said she was “so happy” the plans had received the green light.

She was inspired to launch the “Girls Pack” project, which gives access to free sanitary towels, underwear and hand sanitisers, after friends began skipping school during their periods because they had no access to tampons.

With the support of Paige’s mother Ellie, Girls Pack already provides free sanitary products to food banks and six schools in and around Milton Keynes.

The council said it hoped eventually to offer the products in all public buildings.

Paige said: “Period poverty is very real. It’s 2018 and time for a change.”

“My friends said, ‘It’s what we needed’. I now want to work with councils all over the country to see if they can do the same,” she told the BBC.

Alexander Walker, the Conservative leader of Milton Keynes council, said: “Many girls were not going to school just because they were on their period ... and we thought it was something we needed to pick up.

“Milton Keynes can lead the way and start the debate nationally.”

Last month, the Scottish executive said it would provide free sanitary products in every school, college and university in the country.

Barnsley has also become the first English football club to offer free sanitary products at its stadium.

A study by Plan International UK recently found that 45 per cent of girls aged 14-21 in the UK had used socks or newspaper during their period.