The Homeless Period, a national project to help homeless women who have limited or no access to sanitary towels or tampons, is calling on students at the University of Lincoln to donate spare supplies during this year’s Freshers’ Week.
The request for donations is in response to the fact that most homeless shelters are unable to give out sanitary products for free – like they do with condoms.
Verity Harris, a Lincoln graduate involved in the project, said: “It is not a very well known issue. People aren’t aware of the lengths that homeless women go through in order to remain clean and vaguely comfortable during their period.
“They are currently having to resort to using tissue paper or ripped up cloth”.
Verity approached the University of Lincoln’s Students’ Union about the project to encourage more donations.
“We aim to manage a sustainable project, that can last many years, delivering care packages to those who need them most”, she said.
“We are having to rely on our own pocket and the kindness of others to make this work so we are looking for volunteers and donations from anyone who can spare even a little bit of time or a spare pack of sanitary towels.”
Verity and her team are currently working on setting up a collection point within the SU, but for now donations can be made at the Angel Coffee House on Free School Lane.
Cash donations can also be made through their GoFundMe page, with the money going towards materials for the care packages that the project creates.
The Homeless Period will be at the university’s commercial fayre on September 20 where students can volunteer to help make and deliver the care packages for the homeless.