Highland councillors commend free period products scheme
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Highland councillors commend Scottish free period products scheme, which makes period products available freely accessible to everyone across Highland.
The free period products can be picked up at over 70 places across the Highlands, these include: leisure centres, community centres, local hubs, schools, galleries and libraries. You can find the specific locations in your community offering free period products, on the MyPeriod website or PickUpMyPeriod app on Google Playstore or Apple App Store.
A home delivery service is also available for those in remote areas without local access.
Cllr Graham Mackenzie, Chair of The Highland Council’s communities and place committee said: “Thanks to our work with partners, many will benefit from the availability of free period products in Highland. This will particularly ease the financial burden on low-income households, which is especially welcome in the context of the cost-of-living crisis.”
The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act, which came into force in August, works to tackle period poverty, promote period dignity, and break stigmas. Period poverty means “being unable to access period products, and having a lack of knowledge of menstruation”.
Lynn Bauermeister, High Life Highland’s Head of Health and Wellbeing said: “High Life Highland is pleased to be supporting The Highland Council’s important work to ensure people can access period products in communities, in a way that respects the dignity of anyone in need, by placing period products freely available in the facilities that we operate such as leisure centres and libraries.”
Georgie Nicholson from Hey Girls CIC said: “Hey Girls are delighted to be partnering with The Highland Council to offer a home delivery service enabling the whole Highland community to access free, sustainable and reusable period products direct to their door.”
A further partnership is with Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE), to offer free period products directly to local food groups, such as community larders and food banks. CFINE operate FareShare Grampian, Highlands & Islands and already distribute surplus food to a network of local groups.
Fiona Rae, CFINE Chief Executive said: “This partnership with The Highland Council is a great opportunity to continue our work with local groups to provide food and period products to those needing them the most.”
