CREDITON’S Queen Elizabeth’s School is proud to announce the launch of its own Red Box Project, an initiative taken to tackle #periodpoverty and provide sanitary products to any young person who needs them.

The Red Box Project works by collecting donations of sanitary products from members of the public. Donations are then accessed by students in need.

With 200 endeavours running across the UK, as well as several overseas, The Red Box Project has successfully canvassed government to provide funding for sanitary products to all secondary schools and primary schools.

The Project is now calling on the government to ensure all students in full-time compulsory education are supported, including those in special educational settings and pupil referral units.

Spearheading QE’s efforts is Technology Teacher Rebecca Kinge-Whiteley, who said: “In 2019 no young women should be without adequate sanitary protection during their period, particularly when it affects their education.

“We are hugely grateful to the Red Box Project for taking the initiative to address this issue and very proud to be a part of their project to support young women in our community.

“The fact that the Government has now listened to their efforts is testament to their determination to end #periodpoverty across the UK.

“I would like to extend a big thank-you to Heather Morgan from LaLaChoir, who kindly organised a fundraiser to raise money to buy sanitary products, spare underwear, tights, donation boxes and the red bins to store the various products in.”

QE has four donation boxes, one at their Barnfield Reception, one at Western Road Student Support, one at College House and one at Boarding.

Donations, which must be sealed, are welcomed from students and the public. Students are able to ask for products, no questions asked.

The Red Box Project is a community-based, not-for-profit initiative that was founded in 2017 by three friends who wanted equal access to sanitary products, and education, for all young women in their local area, by providing red boxes filled with free period products to local schools.

The Project recently appointed a new Crediton and Exeter co-ordinator, Louise Martin.

Updates on her work in the area can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/louiseatredboxproject/ .?in addition, you can find out more about the Red Box Project at: www.redboxproject.org .