Why offer free period products?

Research published in May 2022 indicated that almost one in eight people who have periods in Great Britain struggled to buy menstrual products for themselves and/or a dependent in the previous six months. Nearly half of those reported that they had to use ineffective and even unsafe measures to manage their periods, such as leaving tampons in for longer than advised or using tissues instead of properly designed products. We don’t want anyone to be in this position, so together with the University we are now offering free period products to any student who needs them.

Whilst this offer is currently only at Liverpool Street Campus, we are looking at how to expand this trial to Greenwich and Dagenham.

Did you know?

• At least 500 million women and girls globally lack access to the facilities they need to manage their periods [source].
• 1.25 billion women and girls have no access to a safe, private toilet; 526 million don’t have a toilet at all [source].
• 23% of girls in India drop out of school when they begin their period, due to stigma and lack of access to basic hygiene products [source]

This lack of access to safe, clean, affordable period products put people who mentruate at risk of infection and disease - it is important that we break the stigma and talk!

How can I access free period products? 

At Liverpool Street Campus, we will be providing baskets in bathrooms near the central lift on all student access floors! Please only take one of what you need from the basket so there’s plenty left for others to use.

If there are none in the bathrooms, please either check a different stall, stop past our office or send us an email.

What’s on offer? 

One of our core organisational values is to be ethical, so this is reflected in the products we’ve selected to offer students for free. We’ve chosen Here We Flo, a women-of-colour owned business which creates vegan, cruelty-free, biodegradable period products. Here’s what you can pick up: 

• Eco-Applicator Tampons
  Organic, hypoallergenic and biodegradable cotton tampons, complete with 100% recyclable, 95% plant-based applicators. No synthetic fibres, chemical resides, dyes, pesticides, chlorine bleach or fragrances. Available in Super (blue wrapper) and Regular (pink wrapper) flow options. 

• Bamboo Period Pads 
  100% organic, vegan, biodegradable bamboo period pads, complete with biodegradable wrappers. Available in Day (pink wrapper) and Night (blue wrapper) flow options. 

If you have any questions about this initiative or the products available, please get in touch with us at london.su@coventry.ac.uk!