We are a group of year 9 students who realised how messed up the fact that woman must pay for sanitary towels is. Our goal is to change the law surrounding period products making them free to access.
In January 2024, we sent out a survey to young people in school to show that there is wide range of people who struggle with period poverty. It also highlights the amount of people who don’t use reusable products which is negatively impacting our environment with only 5 out of 74 students using reusable sanitary products.
To follow this up we asked some students at our school if they knew how to look after and clean re-usable pads and 70% said no, and when we asked them if they knew how to use a moon cup 90% said no.
We then researched into the laws surrounding the cost of period products and learnt that in January 2021 VAT was removed from all period products. However, we also discovered that at the same time in Scotland period products "must be provided free of charge to anyone who needs them".
Our project plan was to create our packs and distribute them to the homeless and those in need in our community.
We hope that this project will also help foodbanks as they will need to supply less disposable sanitary products, as these are re-usable.
We believe that this will provide positive long-lasting changes as it will provide dignity to our beneficiaries and will ensure that they are able to go to work or school throughout the month.
When finances are tight, individuals frequently must make choices on what they spend their money on, like choosing between sanitary products and food. Our hope is that this project will remove this need to choose.
In January 2024, we sent out a survey to young people in school to show that there is wide range of people who struggle with period poverty. It also highlights the amount of people who don’t use reusable products which is negatively impacting our environment with only 5 out of 74 students using reusable sanitary products.
To follow this up we asked some students at our school if they knew how to look after and clean re-usable pads and 70% said no, and when we asked them if they knew how to use a moon cup 90% said no.
We then researched into the laws surrounding the cost of period products and learnt that in January 2021 VAT was removed from all period products. However, we also discovered that at the same time in Scotland period products "must be provided free of charge to anyone who needs them".
Our project plan was to create our packs and distribute them to the homeless and those in need in our community.
We hope that this project will also help foodbanks as they will need to supply less disposable sanitary products, as these are re-usable.
We believe that this will provide positive long-lasting changes as it will provide dignity to our beneficiaries and will ensure that they are able to go to work or school throughout the month.
When finances are tight, individuals frequently must make choices on what they spend their money on, like choosing between sanitary products and food. Our hope is that this project will remove this need to choose.
We’ve been working with Street Angels who connected us to pure24/7radio, told people about our project, and are currently helping to distribute our packs. We are also in discussions with Street Angels to work on costing the packs for the future, as they are asking for more
To create awareness for our project, we have our Instagram which is @streetflowTAH where we regularly update with posts about our work and any events that we do. Recently, we also did a radio interview on Pure24-7 radio (see below). In this interview we talked about who we are, what we do and why we help those in need of period products.
Each pack contains, both reusable and environmentally friendly single use period products. We have also made information booklets that we placed inside of the packs to help people understand and learn about what you do with some on the products inside. They also have diagrams which means it is easier and more inclusive for people who struggle to read.
To create awareness for our project, we have our Instagram which is @streetflowTAH where we regularly update with posts about our work and any events that we do. Recently, we also did a radio interview on Pure24-7 radio (see below). In this interview we talked about who we are, what we do and why we help those in need of period products.
Each pack contains, both reusable and environmentally friendly single use period products. We have also made information booklets that we placed inside of the packs to help people understand and learn about what you do with some on the products inside. They also have diagrams which means it is easier and more inclusive for people who struggle to read.
Our project is consistently helping our environment and climate as all our products are environmentally friendly or reusable. This has significantly reduced our carbon emissions, so our project does not have a negative impact on our environment. For example, studies have found that every woman using sanitary pads contributes 60 kilograms of pad waste in her lifetime, generating 100,000 tons of waste annually. By providing women with the education and choice to use re-usable products we can hopefully reduce this number
We are in contact with our local MP Kate Dearden about the impact of the cost of period products for some users, and questioned why the English law doesn't match the law in Scotland. In the future, we are hoping to potentially change the law surrounding period products, so that they can be free for anyone who needs them as it is a human right. We believe that if contraception is free, in sexual health clinics and at GP’s then period products should be too. How is something that is a choice more accessible than period products which are needed every month for periods which aren’t a choice.
We are also hoping to find a way to produce and source more bags so that we can continue to distribute our packs to those who need them, we hope that you will be able to help us with this by donating what you are able to our project.
We are in contact with our local MP Kate Dearden about the impact of the cost of period products for some users, and questioned why the English law doesn't match the law in Scotland. In the future, we are hoping to potentially change the law surrounding period products, so that they can be free for anyone who needs them as it is a human right. We believe that if contraception is free, in sexual health clinics and at GP’s then period products should be too. How is something that is a choice more accessible than period products which are needed every month for periods which aren’t a choice.
We are also hoping to find a way to produce and source more bags so that we can continue to distribute our packs to those who need them, we hope that you will be able to help us with this by donating what you are able to our project.
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Donate towards the cost of a StreetFlow pack. Each pack costs £5 - donate via:
Account Name: Festival Angels Sort Code: 05-00-50 Account Number: 11830084 Reference: STREETFLOW Scan the QR code to donate via credit card / Google Pay / Apple Pay / SumUp Pay |
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We won! StreetFlow was part of the #NextGenLeaders competition held in Leeds and we won - the Regional Final Champions!
Here we are with the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung, who presented our trophy and Andy from Pure247radio (right) and Paul from Street Angels (left).
Here we are with the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung, who presented our trophy and Andy from Pure247radio (right) and Paul from Street Angels (left).
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