A university will provide free tampons after a 22-year-old student forked out £100 of her own loan creating sanitary boxes for the campuses.
Daisy Wakefield, wanted to ‘show universities that if one individual can buy, package and distribute enough products for all campuses, each university most definitely can’.
Daisy, who studies Drawing and Print, said there was an urgency to end the period poverty and designed 40 handmade boxes of sanitary products.
She was tired of emails saying ‘I’ll get back to you’ or ‘I’m not sure’ and was forced to take matters into her own hands.
One in ten people cannot afford tampons or period-related products – reiterating the need to make them accessible and ‘not luxurious’, according to Daisy’s packaging.
Forty per cent of girls in the UK use toilet roll because of this, according to Plan International.
The Feminist President Daisy said ‘your gal has only gone and b***** done it! in Facebook post after fighting her case at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
“I am beyond happy and proud and I can’t thank you all enough for your support throughout this campaign!”
Her friends were over the moon on social media and were quick to send their congratulations.
Ellie Chilvers replied to the post: “This is amazing!!!! You go girl”
“That is incredible <3 you hard work is amazing!!!!” Nguyen Thu Giang said.
Neta Smart wrote: “Excellent news Daisy. Gosh!
“You really must have worked so hard to achieve this. Well done! Xx”
Daisy told the BBC: “I will be pushing for access to products for all genders, offering reusable menstrual products and training staff to recognise period poverty.
“I am happy they are willing to help and make positive change and hope more universities in the near future hear my story and take initiative by also supplying free sanitary products.”
She said the universities have a ‘duty of care’ so it was a ‘shame’ they took so long to realise the severity of the issue and invest money. Glasgow, Edinburgh and Exeter already make sanitary products available free to all.
Daisy will continue to push for student support on this at the National Union of Students Women’s Conference next month.
A UWE spokesman said: “We are now exploring various different options with our Students’ Union on how we can extend the financial support we already provide and make it easier for students to know how and where to access it.”