A multi-academy trust of 15 schools with their head office based in Fairfields, Milton Keynes is collaborating with Girl Pack – a small Milton Keynes-based charity.
Girl pack is a registered charity that was formed four years ago by two teenagers and their mums. The girls had noticed the problems that their friends were facing gaining access to sanitary items for several reasons. Often their friends were left in embarrassing or in uncomfortable situations if they started their period unexpectedly in school for example.
There are multiple reasons why young women do not have access to sanitary items, including lack of money, cultural differences, or having no women to approach for support.
Girl pack aims to change this. They supply free packs of sanitary items to over 30 schools, children's centres and community fridges across Milton Keynes. Inside their packs, you will find a clean, new pair of knickers, sanitary towels, hygienic wipes and hand sanitiser. Our packs are not means-tested and are given away free of charge.
Girl Pack work very hard asking for donations of our four main items and also fundraisers to buy these items from within the community.
Last year in Milton Keynes they handed out 1500 girl packs. Girl Pack gave a large supply of these to the new refugees from Afghanistan and have also sent six boxes of products over to help the effort in Ukraine most recently. Next term, our IFtL schools will become donation stations for the charity where parents and staff can bring in sanitary products, hygienic wipes, hand sanitises and new packs of knickers.
They will be providing each school within the IFtL family with a selection of girl packs. They will be available in our primary schools for children who may start their period unexpectedly. Parents can be made aware that the packs are in school, as can the children. They will also provide packs for staff so that if they unexpectedly start their period whilst at work, they have access to clean underwear and sanitary items. Girl Pack appreciate that not everyone who menstruates identifies as A woman, and at some point this year they are hoping to become more inclusive by changing their charity name from Girl Pack Group Chat to something that celebrates everyone that menstruates.
For more information on Girl Pack email jenny@girlpack.org
