Scheme provides 20,000 period packs to schools

The scheme is being rolled out after a trial at Crawshaw Academy in Pudsey

Yorkshire Water has joined forces with a period poverty campaign group to provide 20,000 period packs to secondary schools around the region following a successful pilot scheme in Pudsey.

The company will distribute starter kits alongside social enterprise Hey Girls, which has donated more than 30m period products to schools, shelters and food banks since its launch in 2018.

Yorkshire Water said the sustainable products would also reduce the amount of waste flushed away.

Rachel Lee, of Crawshaw Academy in Pudsey, said it "highly recommended" other schools take up the opportunity.

Period anxiety

Yorkshire Water said its education team would deliver its programme throughout schools in Yorkshire from September, advising on where to access products and explaining the benefits of sustainable products.

Chief executive Nicola Shaw said: "We were quite shocked by the number of important school days lost due to period dignity and anxiety.

"Our association with Hey Girls will help us to introduce pupils to alternative, plastic-free period products and encourage reusable, sustainable alternatives.

"This also reduces the number of period products being flushed away and potentially blocking the network."

Hey Girls operates on a "you buy one, we donate one" basis, so it has matched Yorkshire Water's purchase of 10,000 starter packs.

Co-founder and director Kate Smith said: "We are pleased that Yorkshire Water has decided to join our mission to promote period dignity providing young people with free period products.

"We want to put an end to one in 10 people affected by period poverty in the UK and stop 49% of pupils missing an entire day at school because of their period."

Ms Lee added: "We’re really grateful for Yorkshire Water for providing this opportunity for pupils at the academy as it is important to supply students with sustainable choices.

"It ensures that our personal, health and social education curriculum is relevant and reflective of current local and global issues."

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