The Period Poverty campaign was launched by the Scottish Government nationally in August 2018. Angus Community Planning Partnership took the decision to collaborate and ensure that everyone in need of period products had access to them and there is now an opportunity to drive the campaign forward further with the launch of a localised brand and targeted campaign across social media – Free Period Angus. There are three main objectives of the campaign which was agreed with the key objective of the campaign being to eradicate period poverty in Angus by the end of 2021.
The three main objectives of the campaign:
- reduce stigma
- raise awareness of free product location across a target demographic
- ultimately eradicate period poverty in Angus by the end of 2021
Facebook and Instagram Launch
In order to keep this work going we launched the Free Period Angus Facebook page and Instagram on 17 March 2020.
Our initial campaigns were promoting the 156 locations we had free products. However, the impact of the covid-19 pandemic has been a major challenge as more and more of our locations closed and the government introduced lockdown measures. Below is the Facebook data from launch on March 17 2020 to April 9 2020.
Facebook data from the launch of Free Period Angus.
Hey Girls Partnership
In order to ensure that local people still had the provision we worked in partnership with Hey Girls who offered to send out 3 months of free products direct to people's door.
To date, 396 people have signed up for this resource and we have had some incredible testimonials:
Thank you so much for providing products I was so worried about getting them as I can't leave the house.
This is a god send – I have 4 daughters and we all need products and I have limited access to the shops.
Angus Distribution Network
Rebuilding a physical distribution network has also been a key priority for us as there are people still able to get their essential items so we worked with local businesses still open to put free products in their stores.
Instagram post asking for help with distributing free period products.
We had anticipated a challenge to this as some of these businesses sell products however they have been really keen to help us to distribute to those most in need – we have locations in every burgh. Our Third Sector Interface Voluntary Action Angus have also offered to delivered products to people so across Angus if anyone is in need there are a variety of ways to get them what they need.
Free Period Angus Survey
Alongside this work we also took the decision to continue with a period poverty survey to gauge the current picture in Angus which has provided a lot of rich data.
We have developed videos and graphics around this to get the message across that we are still working on our vision to eradicate period poverty by 2021.
As of 9th April, 672 people have completed the survey. Below is some of the data collected.
Have you ever been unable to afford sanitary towels/tampons?
Yes - 40%
No - 60%
Has an inability to buy sanitary towels or tampons stopped you going to school/work?
Yes - 25%
No - 75%
If yes, how did you that make you feel?
"It was horrible because I had to answer why I am unable to go to work. People didn't like to hear that I can't afford buy sanitary products."
"I felt ashamed of my body and felt sad."
"Left out, scared and worried that i was going to get in trouble for being truant/absent. I also felt annoyed that i cant get them for free anywhere."
"Horrible, second rate citizen, lower than low."
"Horrible because I'm missing days of education because I am unable to purchase products for something that i cannot control."
Are you aware that free sanitary products are available throughout Angus?
Yes - 36%
No - 64%
Where would you like to access free products if you needed them?
Below are the 8 most common answers.
- Schools, colleges, universities
- Public toilets
- Supermarket and shops
- Chemistry/pharmacy
- Doctors
- Libraries
- Workplace
- Community Centres