Since 2019 all Local Authorities in Wales have received funding from Welsh Government, known as the 'Period Dignity Grant', to help tackle period poverty across Wales.
Period dignity is about:
- Respect - removing any stigma and shame around periods.
- Education - helping people understand that periods are normal and healthy.
- Equality - making sure everyone has what they need to manage their periods, and no-one faces period poverty.
No-one should be disadvantaged because they have periods. Everyone should have access to period products, as and when they need them - although unfortunately this is not always the case.
Period Proud is about:
- Everyone in Wales being treated equally and with respect. No-one should be held back or stopped from reaching their goals because they have a period.
Flintshire County Council Period Dignity Reports
Please find below links to reports providing Flintshire County Council Members with an overview of the current national position regarding period dignity and how grant funding benefits Flintshire schools and communities. For further information please visit Flintshire County Council – Council & Democracy Webpage.
Types of Period Products
To find out more about disposable and reusable period products please follow the link to a resource by Bloody Brilliant Period Products and staying fresh.
Eco-Friendly Products
Along with Welsh Government, Flintshire County Council is committed to addressing the challenges posed by all kinds of plastic pollution. In line with existing Welsh Government environmental commitments, we hope to increase the percentage spend on eco-friendly period products each year with an aim to achieve a target of 90-100% of period products purchased through the grant being eco-friendly by 2025-2026.
The scope of the target is in place to support a move away from single-use, plastic disposable options towards reusable and plastic free options whilst ensuring ongoing choice for users, accessibility alongside an important and positive environmental impact.
Reusable period products are washable products such as period pants, cloth pads and menstrual silicone cups which can be reused. These are the eco-friendly choice which do not contain plastic.
Disposable period products are single use products such as tampons, panty liners and sanitary towels. A pack of sanitary towels can contain up to 5 plastic bags. Increasing the uptake of reusable period products can help reduce waste and lessen landfill.
Keep Wales Tidy have produced a guide about how you can help to reduce waste, along with a guide about the choices for period products. Another helpful interactive resource from Keep Wales Tidy is Busting the myths PERIOD.
Period Product Provision in Flintshire
Flintshire County Council has teamed up with Cheeky Wipes, the sustainable brand championing ‘Simple Reusables’ to promote period dignity, providing free, disposable and reusable period products to school and community locations and delivering free, reusable period products right to young people’s doors.