Charity FareShare has been granted funding to distribute products to more than 18,000 people living in low-income households
A project to distribute free sanitary products to low-income households is set to be extended.
Following a successful pilot in Aberdeen, charity FareShare will receive over £500,000 to distribute sanitary products with the aim of reaching a further 18,800 people.
An evaluation of the pilot showed that two thirds of those who took part had experienced difficulties in accessing sanitary products in the past. It is expected that wider access will go some way to reducing the anxiety experienced by those who struggle to find the money to buy these essential items.
Head of FareShare in Scotland Gillian Kynoch said: “We are excited to be working with Scottish Government to use our network to make sanitary products available to people across Scotland. Our partners CFINE, Move On, Transform and Cyrenians will be supporting the distribution, working with low income and vulnerable people to break down taboos and stigma. This is an issue that has gone unheeded for too long.”
Equalities secretary Angela Constance said: “The pilot in Aberdeen helped us to understand the barriers that some people face when it comes to accessing sanitary products and I’d like to thank Community Food Initiatives North East for their help and work on this.
“In total 1,082 people women and girls took part and helped us identify ways that we could make free products easily accessible to those who need them.
“It is unacceptable that anyone in Scotland should be unable to access sanitary products and I am pleased that we are able to work with FareShare to make products available more widely through the services delivered by their partners.”
