Bradford's food banks 'regularly run out of sanitary products'

Written by Bradford Council, the report into the issue of period poverty found that many of the district’s food banks were having to ration feminine hygiene products.

It says the extent of period poverty in the district is more difficult to gauge than food poverty, “due to the sensitivities surrounding personal hygiene; particularly menstruation and the reluctance felt by some people to discuss these and related issues openly.”

But it points to evidence from food banks, as well as anecdotal claims from those who work in schools, that many in the district are struggling to buy sanitary products.

Others are too embarrassed to discuss the issue of menstruation with their families.

The report will be discussed by the Council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee tonight. It follows a debate at a full Council meeting in October where the Council voted to do more to tackle period poverty, despite some Councillors claiming the issue had been overblown.

Council votes to tackle period poverty after heated debate in Council chamber

At today’s meeting members will be told that the Council is currently piloting a Period Dignity Project in three Council buildings as one of the first steps to tackle the issue.

The project came about after an approach by the local branch of the Unite Union and will provide sanitary products in the workplace and that places of education in the district will also be urged to provide sanitary products for students and employees too.

Starting this month the project will be trialled in Sir Henry Mitchell House in Bradford city centre, Bradford City Hall and Keighley Town Hall.

Sanitary products will be available in bathrooms that are accessible to the public, and if the pilot proves a success the scheme would be rolled out to other Council buildings.

The report also refers to the Redbox Bradford - a project that provides local schools with boxes containing sanitary products that young people are able to take. There are currently 56 schools in the district involved in the scheme.

The Council spoke to seven foodbanks Bradford Central; Bradford North; Wyke; St Pauls in Wibsey; St Hughes in Baildon; Salvation Army in Keighley and Bingley Foodbank.

The report says: “Of these; six offered period and personal hygiene products routinely and all noted that they often ‘run out’ of supplies and have to ration what they have until further donations come in. The one project that has not been offering these goods alongside food will be doing so in the future.”

The Committee meets in Bradford City Hall at 5.30pm.