A project launched in Wolverhampton to tackle period poverty has reached 11,000 people in its first month.

Launched in September 2018, Project GIVE aims to tackle period poverty – where women cannot afford sanitary products – and support disadvantaged young women in Wolverhampton to stay in education throughout the month.

A report by Plan International in 2017 found that almost half (49%) of girls in the UK had missed a day of school due to having their period and one in ten said they had been unable to afford sanitary wear.

Project GIVE is distributing boxes of donated sanitary products to schools within Wolverhampton in an attempt to end period poverty in the city.

Lucy Palin, co-founder and volunteer for Project GIVE said:

We have been collecting donations of sanitary items and underwear from every corner of Wolverhampton. We then redistribute these donations to every school in the city. The public response to the project has been amazing!

The initiative was co-developed by Kelly Walker-Reed, founder of not for profit education organisation Inspiring Healthy Choices together with a group of nine volunteers.

According to Walker-Reed, the organisation is also hoping to offer free educational sessions to schools in Wolverhampton to destigmatise periods and empower young women to talk about their bodies:

We feel it is vital young people feel supported with such a sensitive issue.

Project GIVE is receiving support from Wolverhampton based organisations including: Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands Police, Paycare, Wolverhampton Homes, Embrace Sexual Health, Lighthouse Cinema, The Way, churches and many charities and organisations.

For more information or to find our how you can support the project visit:

Facebook: ProjectGIVEwolverhampton

Twitter: @projectgivewv

Instagram: project.give

Image: Project GIVE co-founders Kelly Walker-Reed, Lucy Palin and Georgia Speed