We ask our communities to help raise funds and provide donations so that we can offer free period products for girls and young women who are struggling and/or experiencing poverty. We have secured funding to provide Project M donations bins into local Newcastle companies to encourage donations of period products that can be given to girls and young women who are struggling with Period Poverty.

Research tells us that 1 in 10 girls and young women in the UK are missing schooling because they have started their period but cannot afford sanitary products, they find it hard to ask for support, feel embarrassed and are worried about stigma.

Streetwise young volunteers were shocked by these statistics and developed Project M, which enables girls and young women who are struggling to afford sanitary products to call into the project and receive support, period information and free sanitary products as and when they need them, without feeling embarrassed or affected by stigma.

Project M donation bins are available in selected Boots the Chemist outlets to encourage customers to donate sanitary towels, tampons and spare pants. These donations are then taken to Streetwise and other local youth projects, where girls and young women can collect free sanitary products without feeling embarrassed, stigmatized and watched.

Posters are placed around Streetwise and other youth projects informing young people how to access Project M. Project workers are available to support young people and issue each young woman with their own M Card, so that they can access free period products confidentially as and when they need them.

Project M was designed by young people for young people, and has just won the 2018 Good Practice Award at the Newcastle Sexual Health and Good practice Award Ceremony help at Newcastle Civic Centre in February 2019.

How can you help? Please share this information and encourage as many people to make donations in the Project M bins in Boots the Chemist (Newcastle).