Charities report 'worrying' rise of period poverty in Leeds since Covid-19 pandemic began

Charities in Leeds have revealed a "worrying" rise in the “hidden issue” of period poverty during the Covid-19 pandemic - with requests for help increasing 15-fold since lockdown began.
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As families across the city struggle financially in the economic fall-out of the crisis, more women and girls than ever before are reportedly finding it harder to meet the cost of monthly period products.

One family told the Yorkshire Evening Post they were forced to improvise with toilet paper and fabric at the beginning of lockdown, before they were given free provisions by Leeds charity, Freedom4Girls.

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Its founder, Tina Leslie, said the charity has gone from handing out 500 products a month before the pandemic to over 7,500 today, a 15-fold increase.

Tina Leslie, founder of Leeds-based charity Freedom4Girls, which campaigns to end period poverty. Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeTina Leslie, founder of Leeds-based charity Freedom4Girls, which campaigns to end period poverty. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Tina Leslie, founder of Leeds-based charity Freedom4Girls, which campaigns to end period poverty. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

“It’s so many. And there’s no let up,” she said.

“It’s a hidden issue .There is still stigma and taboo around the subject. People don't want to ask for them.

“I’m so sad. We have fought and fought for years around period poverty. It’s just so sad that it’s being forgotten about.”

Tina said the issue was compounded in the early days by panic-buying stripping the shelves of period products or leaving only the expensive ones behind.

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But now, as the impact of the coronavirus crisis deepens, increasing numbers of households simply don't have enough money to make ends meet - with period products becoming too much of a financial burden to bear.

Just last week the Yorkshire Evening Post revealed how the Covid-19 pandemic had seen the numbers of people accessing emergency food provisions rising to nine times higher than normal.

Tina said: “Obviously, if you can’t afford food, you can’t afford period products.

“We have had reports of people improvising which is not nice. People are cutting up nappies, using tea towels, using T-shirts.

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“People are struggling financially. But it’s not just those turning up at foodbanks. It’s people who are hidden - refugees, asylum seekers, women fleeing domestic abuse, people who find themselves out of a job all of a sudden.

“If you're on furlough you're on 80 per cent pay. If 60 per cent goes on rent, how are you living?

"If you have a couple [of people in the family] who are menstruating and you haven’t got money to buy products, how are you going to feel?"

She added: "It's very worrying. Schools are closed so girls cannot access products from the free Government scheme. Some schools ran out because they were supporting families as well as children with products."

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Tina said word has been spreading among desperate charities and communities about her charity’s work, so they are now managing to reach more people than ever before.

"There was a time we thought we’d run out but we didn’t, thank God," she said. "We had support from Bodyform and Heygirls UK as well as donations coming from some of our donation stations, although not as many as supermarket shelves were empty for weeks."

Freedom4Girls now delivers to 35 organisations across the city as well as in Dewsbury and Wakefield and has a network of community leaders who also distribute handouts to those in need.

One of those is Hawa Bah, 32, of Chapeltown, who runs the charity Hawa Dal Peace of Mind, which supports Guineans in Leeds and surrounding areas.

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She said she is getting “more and more calls” from women in the community requesting period products because they can’t afford to buy them or are isolating at home.

She said: “I helped people before but not like since lockdown. I help more now - it’s hard for everyone.

“They get desperate. If I run out, they are calling me again for them. Because some families are big - they have two, three, four girls including the mother. And if each needs to change three or four times a day [it's expensive].

“You can’t stop [the period]. It’s going to come and you either have something for it or you don’t.

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“It does affect their mental health. If they use material instead, they can make it look like a pad but it needs washing. Some of them don’t have washing machines so have to use their hands.

“When I can give [period products] to them, they are so happy. You can see on their faces - the change, when they receive them. You see that smile.”

Mamta Sharda is a community connector co-ordinator supporting migrant communities in deprived areas of Leeds and said she has been asked to supply period products to women fleeing domestic violence over recent weeks.

She said: "During lockdown there has been a lot more cases [of domestic violence]. For these women, it was bad before but lockdown made it even worse so they had to just leave. They had nothing - just the clothes they were wearing.

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"For them, the issue is whether they are meeting the needs of food or needs of their baby first - they don't think of their own health or well-being. If they have been given money, they definitely prioritise the children first. They will just use old rags or whatever they can, and not go out.

"Even £1 is far too much to spend."

Tina said period poverty just piles additional anxiety onto those already suffering.

“There are a lot of people who are struggling.

“The emotional turmoil that people are going through, you don’t really realise.

"The future is worrying as the increased demand for period products is a result of the increased overall poverty in the country - not just in Leeds but nationwide.

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“It’s a sad situation to be in. But the more we come out and say ‘There’s period poverty going on in the city' the more we will hopefully get noticed."

Cllr Jonathan Pryor, executive member for learning, skills and employment said the schools' scheme has distributed over 20,000 since October 2019 but its roll-out has been delayed due to the pandemic.

He added: ":We have continued to ensure that products are available for anyone in urgent need of them. These have been distributed via food hampers and Community Care Hubs through the emergency support scheme.

"Schools that had requested products from the Leeds scheme received a supply prior to lockdown for them to distribute as required, and they also have access to the government’s scheme for products.”

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For more information on Freedom4Girls visit www.freedom4girls.co.uk.

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Thank you

Laura Collins

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