The University of York will be providing free sanitary products on campus

The University of York has launched a trial scheme to provide free sanitary products on campus.

This comes after consultation with the student-led Free the Flow campaign to help tackle period poverty.

YUSU President, Patrick O’Donnell said: “I’m delighted that the University is tackling period poverty by agreeing to support a trial of providing free sanitary products to students during the spring term.”

The products will be available from this week and can be found in dispensing machines in the Library foyer, Spring Lane Building, and the Ron Cooke Hub.

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The trial will assess initial demand, with a view to expanding the initiative following consultation with student groups. Although York has previously supplied free sanitary products on campus, they were only available at college and SU receptions on an ad hoc basis.

The products will also be sustainable with degradable packaging.

YUSU President Patrick O’Donnell said: “I’m delighted that the University is tackling period poverty by agreeing to support a trial of providing free sanitary products to students during the spring term. Students all over the country face numerous financial barriers, but nobody should ever have their studies affected by having a period.”

He continued: “I’m very grateful to the student-led Free the Flow campaign for all their work and for making the case to the University to provide free sanitary products to students. Their research has shown that in 2020, one in ten York students were unable to afford menstrual health products, indicating the importance of this initiative.”

York’s Academic Registrar, Dr Wayne Campbell, said: “The University of York is committed to tackling period poverty and welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with YUSU, the Free the Flow campaign and our student groups, to support an organised trial to provide free sanitary products to York students throughout the spring term.”

More information on the Free the Flow campaign can be found here.

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