UoN launches Project Period giving away free sanitary products to menstruating students

University of Nottingham is giving away period products to all menstruating students for free, through the initiative Project Period.

Menstruating students can collect period products such as reusable sanitary towels, disposable sanitary towels, tampons and menstrual cups from SU Advice, located on C-Floor of the Portland Building. The initiative is in place from now until 17th December.

Project Period was initially proposed by Ikra Mahmood in March 2019 with UoNSU Welfare Officer Alice Kosse and Women*’s Officer Emily Garton recently pushing it through the Union Policy.

Mahmood argued that the Students’ Union should be addressing the issue of period poverty as it is a “real issue among students”.

Similar Project Period initiatives are already in place at other UK universities and Scotland has made free sanitary products readily available in all UK higher education institutions, including schools and universities.

Project Period at UoN is currently operating under a trial period based on student feedback, however it will hopefully become a permanent fixture next term.

Alice Kosse, UoNSU Welfare Officer, told The Tab Notts: “Project Period is a new trial scheme where all students can access free sanitary products on campus, with a range of reusable and disposable options available. The products available are pads, tampons, reusable pads, and menstrual cups and all we ask of students is that they fill out a feedback form so that we can gather feedback and use it to hopefully make a more permanent scheme in future.

“This project began from the passing of a Union Policy revolving around ‘Free sanitary items for menstruating students’ so ultimately the project has come from student feedback and what students have asked for. In terms of logistically, the funding was acquired through the Santander EDI fund which we used to purchase the products available for collection.

“I hope to, through this trial scheme, help students that need free sanitary products in the short term as well as gather feedback about whether the service is useful and how we can improve the service in future. Ultimately, the goal is to use the feedback we get from this trial scheme to push for a more permanent scheme, following in the footsteps of other universities and Students’ Unions around the country.

“The feedback part of this project is so important to me as I think any project that will benefit students should directly consult students so that we can make it as amazing a service as it can be. So far, there has been some amazing feedback and I’m so happy that people are excited about the project but always happy to hear how we can make it better and work better for you!”

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