We actually thought that it couldn’t get worse but it really has. The cost of living crisis has actually worsened for the poorest people in our country and it has affected many more thousands of families this year.
We have been even busier than ever with an increasing number of organisations asking for our support and help. What has been different with this year is that we have been contacted by 10 NHS Trusts in Staffordshire and Cheshire so that their Community Nurses have period products to distribute to their patients. I have no words for this. Our country is broken for many and I cannot see a way forward at the moment.
On a more positive note, we successfully launched our new book “All Things Menopause” in October of this year and it has been extremely successful. As with our previous book “All Things Periods” it is now in all of the libraries throughout Staffordshire and in many in the West Midlands. It is a compilation of “ordinary” women’s experiences and thoughts on their menopause and hopefully this will open up the conversation so that all women will feel more able to discuss more openly about the big M.
We also worked with another local football club, Port Vale F.C., so that they are now a “Period Dignity” employer placing period products in all of the public and staff toilets. We have continue our work supporting all grass roots football clubs throughout Staffordshire so that they have period products available for their young women and girls.
Not much more to say except a big thankyou to all of our “Monthly Gifters” who continue to support us and also a thankyou to all of our Funders this year.
Hope 2024 sees an improvement in the lives of the people we continue to support.
Linda Allbutt