Free personal items offered to secondary students

The Happy Hut provides hygiene products as well as sports equipment and study material

A Happy Hut has been introduced at St Sampson's High School, which gives students access to free personal hygiene items.

Hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, sanitary products and body wash are available as well as other things like sports equipment and study material.

The hut was set up by the PTA and has donations from the Louvre Trust Charitable Foundation.

The aim of the initiative is to improve student's mental well-being as well as ensuring they have everything they need for school.

'Vitally important'

Julie Langlois, head of St Sampson's High School PTA, said: "We feel it is vitally important that every child has the option to go and acquire what they need to get themselves through the day.

"In some instances children are able to take deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash.

"So that they then know they've got what they need at home as well. Because there are a lot of families who just aren't able to provide those items."

Emma Chesters, head of geography at St Sampson's High School, said: "For us in school it's really important, because, it's not just about what they do academically but how they feel in school.

"If they're in a good place then it's going to make such a difference to how they operate in school and how they work together."