Red Box Project arrives in town

THE Red Box Project – a national initiative to help ensure school girls do not miss periods through having a period – is gaining support in Warrington.
Local volunteer co-ordinator Amy Sidhu – mother of twin girls aged eight from Grappenhall Heys – is working hard to spread the word among the town’s schools.
Her aim is to have the scheme operating in every secondary school in Warrington by December.
When Amy discovered the statistics around “period poverty” she was shocked.
She said: “It is so sad that in the 21st century, young girls are missing school due to their periods, whether due to financial reasons, social and family reasons or embarrassment.
“I jumped at the chance to get involved and we now have more than 10 donations points for the public to use, including the major supermarkets in the town, as well as various local businesses.”
The project encourages indviduala or businesses to sponsor a Red Box in a school near them, working together to keep it filled with sanitary towels and spare underwear.
The idea is for the box to be available to girls through a member of staff.
Amy said: “Open discussions are encouraged between teachers and pupils about the subject of periods and where the Red Box is situated in the school.
“Overstretched teachers already take on the responsibility of helping pupils in need and schools keep small stocks of sanitary items for emergencies. The problem is that limited budgets mean they are usually able to hand out just a couple at a time.
“The Red Box supports young women throughout their period with as many sanitary products as they need plus the added reassurance of a few left over to prevent a panic next month.”
Red boxes can also be placed in youth clubs and church halls
“No tearful panics in the loo. No wadded up toilet roll. No anxious embarrassment. No missed lessons or staying at home. No missed education.
“The Red Box Project is entirely funded by community kindness and focused solely on supporting young women. It is designed to be a simple, no frills scheme to meet a need with minimal fuss.”
More details are available at [email protected]