Women of Whitworth help eliminate Period Poverty

Women of Whitworth supported The Red Box Project Rossendale on Sunday (7 October) at a collaborative ‘Tea, Cake and Tampons’ event to raise awareness of ‘Period Poverty’ in the area.

The event, held at Berni Inn Functions Room and Restaurant, raised £120 and a total of 217 sanitary products were donated to the big red box, along with five packs of underwear.

 

 

The day consisted of a prize draw with over 20 prizes, which everyone who attended was automatically entered into, and a donation draw to win a Jo Malone oil or a House of Commons bottle of wine from Jake Berry, MP for Rossendale. Minimum donation was £1 with all monies going towards helping others.

Afternoon tea style refreshments were provided as attendees enjoyed unlimited tea, coffee, hot chocolate, platters of fresh cream cakes and biscuits and red bags were handed out containing miniature Clarins products, donated from Boots Rochdale.

The Women of Whitworth Project was launched in January 2018 to commemorate 100 years of Women's Voting Rights. Since January, a number of events have been held in Whitworth to celebrate females in the local area by recognising their achievements and the contributions they make to their community.

Kimberley Ashworth, founder of The Women of Whitworth Project who hosted the event, said: “One of the projects I have been happy to be in contact with is The Red Box Project.

“In July, we held a wonderful afternoon tea in collaboration with The Friends of Whitworth Library Group, which had a suffragette theme. The event was attended by many local residents and helped raise money for local projects.

“In August, I spoke with Samara Barnes, from The Red Box Project Rossendale, and Naomi Kenyon, a nominated Woman of Whitworth, about the idea of a tea event to raise awareness of period poverty. Thank you to Samara and Naomi for all their help and support over the last few months.

“Thank you also to Berni and her staff at Berni Inn, to Charlotte from Clarins at Boots in Rochdale for the ‘red bag’ donations, local businesses and residents who donated prizes for the draw and all who have been collecting sanitary products.

“The money raised will go back into supporting projects through The Women of Whitworth and The Red Box Project.”

 

 

The Red Box Project supports young women in schools who find it difficult to access sanitary products. People from Rochdale and Rossendale have joined on a mission to eliminate ‘period poverty’ by sponsoring and stocking red boxes, through the Red Box Project, with sanitary products and spare pants at various locations.

All schools in Whitworth now provide free sanitary products to young women through the Red Box Project.