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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Social enterprise delivers 3,600 period products during lockdown

This news post is almost 4 years old
 

Hey Girls has adapted its model to help more people through the coronavirus crisis.

A Scottish social enterprise has delivered more than 3,600 period products to people’s homes during the coronavirus lockdown.

Hey Girls has been tackling period poverty since 2018, delivering free sanitary products to students, constituents and service users across the country.

With the onset of lockdown measures in March, the company has adapted its model to ensure those most in need do not miss out.

Working in partnership with seven local authorities and 12 universities and colleges, Hey Girls has been delivering home packs directly to people’s homes during the pandemic, initially with enough products to provide period protection for three months for 3667 women and girls.

In many cases, reusable products have been offered, which has led to a rise in people trying more sustainable and environmentally friendly methods to manage their periods.

Celia Hodson, Hey Girls founder, said: “We don’t believe anyone should be denied access to period products, during a global pandemic or not. Access to period products is a human right, yet sadly there is still work to be done across the UK to recognise this.

“It’s been incredible to witness, however, the acknowledgement from so many local authorities and educational institutes that this issue is so important, especially during Covid-19. Working with our partners to provide period protection during the coronavirus pandemic hopefully means that women and girls in these settings have one less thing to worry about and can feel confident whilst on their periods.”

Hey Girls now hopes to expand the programme to allow more women and girls across the UK to benefit from the home packs.

“We welcome the opportunity to work with new councils, schools and colleges to keep everyone period protected during Covid-19,” said Ms Hodson.

Angus Council is one of the local authorities that has partnered with Hey Girls on the initiative. Strategic policy and planning manager Shelley Hague said: “Angus Community Planning Partnership have the aim to eradicate period poverty in Angus by 2021. The partnership with Hey Girls has ensured that even through these difficult times we have been able to send out products to those most in need, which has been extremely well received from the local people.”