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Student Spends Her Loan On Period Products And Gives Them Away For Free

Rachel Andrews

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| Last updated 

Student Spends Her Loan On Period Products And Gives Them Away For Free

Featured Image Credit: Daisy Wakefield

A university student is tackling period poverty on her own by providing free menstrual products to students on campus by using her loan.

Twenty-two-year-old Daisy Wakefield, who studies drawing and print at the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol, says she became "tired" of the university "not addressing the crisis".

Plan International UK recently found that one in 10 young women (aged 14-21), and one in seven in London, can't afford to buy tampons, pads and other period products.

Credit: Daisy Wakefield
Credit: Daisy Wakefield
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And Daisy is now taking matters into her own hands to help those struggling to afford tampons and other period products at her university by providing them herself.

So far, Daisy has spent £100 filling 40 boxes with tampons and pads, decorating the packs by hand with hard-hitting statistics on period poverty here in the UK.

Credit: Daisy Wakefield
Credit: Daisy Wakefield

Of her fight against period poverty, Daisy told Pretty52: "I believe period poverty is a feminist issue because not enough people are talking about periods let alone period poverty. Therefore, it leaves a lot of people feeling ashamed of their cycle but then further ashamed that they can't even afford the necessary products.

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She added: "One in 10 people who menstruate in the UK can't afford sanitary products so this isn't something that is just affecting a small fraction of people. You most likely know someone who is suffering from period poverty, which is why I felt I needed to do something."

Credit: Daisy Wakefield
Credit: Daisy Wakefield

Daisy says she wants the university to take period poverty seriously, and stop turning to charities for support.

Touching on the response to her campaign, the UWE student said: "On social media and from the Student Union it has been incredible."

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However, Daisy called the response from the university "disappointing" as some of the staff didn't know if universities supply sanitary products.

She added: "I am still constantly sending emails with little to none response from the uni. They really need to recognise the urgency of the issue and step up."

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In a statement, UWE Bristol told the BBC: "Period poverty is a global issue and we're pleased UWE Bristol students are passionately advocating for change.

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"The university does not currently supply free sanitary products on campus, though we would be pleased to meet with students to understand if there is an emerging need for this."

While Daisy's campaign will be inspiring to many women, it shouldn't have to be this way. Here's hoping universities - and other institutions - start taking action on period poverty.

Topics: Life News, Real

Rachel Andrews
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