West Berkshire mum and daughter send out 2000th box in bid to end period poverty

AN INITIATIVE set up by a mother and daughter to help fight period poverty has now sent out more than 2,000 boxes of sanitary products to those in need.

Caroline Herman and her daughter Cara, 14, started the All Yours project at Christmas in a bid to make the festive season more manageable for any woman who couldn’t afford to buy the products they needed.

Now their idea has grown considerably and they have also started distributing boxes of knickers and tights to secondary schools across the area.

Although she said she is proud of what they have achieved, Mrs Herman, who lives in Hampstead Norreys, said it was “totally heartbreaking” to think that so many women and girls were struggling in the 21st century.

"We are taken aback at the sheer volume of boxes we have distributed since we started and the number is steadily growing,” she added. “It is worrying how many people are struggling with period poverty but I am glad that we have been able to help provide a comfortable period for so many.

"Knickers and tights are the first thing secondary schools have asked for when we speak to them. It is great that we have managed to raise enough for the first five secondary schools but we are desperate to finish the list.

“How can you choose which students get a change of underwear at a challenging time of the month and which have to struggle on without a clean pair of knickers?"

This week saw the 2,000th box sent out, helping a total of 2,640 women and young girls through the family boxes too.

All Yours has also delivered the knicker boxes to Trinity, John O’Gaunt, The Downs, Park House and Little Heath schools – half of the secondary schools in West Berkshire.

Mrs Herman has also been in contact with Newbury MP Laura Farris, to highlight the plight of those suffering from period poverty and to ask for knickers and tights to be added to the catalogue of items available through a government scheme aimed at combating the problem.

Only 52 per cent of West Berkshire settings have utilised the budget from the Department of Education to buy period products for pupils and of that 52 per cent, none have used their full allocation of money.

Tomorrow (Friday) is global Menstrual Hygiene Day, which calls for the end of period poverty across the world by 2030.

“We are keen to support the call for global period poverty to be ended by 2030 but in the meantime we will continue to ensure that anyone who needs help with period products in our community can receive it from us,” added Mrs Herman.

All Yours is raising money to purchase the products and send out the boxes to schools and families. If you would like to support them visit https://bit.ly/34eAfUj

You can find out more about All Yours or request a box by visiting www.periodbox.uk