Milton Keynes could become the first Council in the UK to offer free women's sanitary products

    A local councillor has put forward a motion to Milton Keynes Council which proposes to tackle 'period poverty' in our city.

    If it is backed by a majority of councillors tomorrow evening, it would mean that the products would be provided free of charge in local secondary schools and eventually from all public buildings including libraries, community centres and council owned and operated public offices.

    The motion, which has been put forward by former Borough mayor Cllr David Hopkins, follows his meeting with local campaigning student Paige Pilkington.

    Paige Pilkington is the founder of Girl Pack and established the group in Milton Keynes with the mission to hand out items including towels and tampons across the Borough.

    Cllr David Hopkins said: "I promised that I would raise this issue with the Council Cabinet at the first appropriate Cabinet meeting following my Mayoral Year. This important motion is the fulfilment of that commitment."

    "I want to see Milton Keynes become first English local authority to offer free sanitary provision in all of its public buildings, starting with our secondary schools”.

    "Sanitary products are a necessity, not a choice. I wish for no women or school student here in Milton Keynes to find themselves in the embarrassing and often
    degrading situation of having to use improper sanitary protection simply because they cannot afford it. After all, periods are not exempt from poverty - they don't take account of what is in your pocket or purse.

    "Therefore, it is absolutely right that we should look at ways in which to tackle this gendered inequality. I want to make period poverty history in Milton Keynes."

    A study published by women's rights charity Plan International UK earlier this year found that 45% of those living in the UK said they have been forced to use makeshift sanitary wear including socks or newspapers because they have struggled to buy products.

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