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A North West environment campaign group is set to provide reusable period products for women using a Fleetwood food bank.

Campaigners LOVEmyBEACH, which was set up in 2013 by Keep Britain Tidy in a bid to clean up our beaches, will provide reusable sanitary care kits for women and teens being assisted by Fleetwood Together's food bank.

The products have been funded by the Wyre and Fylde Covid response fund, and will provide 100 period care kits to the food bank.

The kits will contain four to five reusable sanitary pads, information and a sewing template for recipients to make more for themselves and family members.

Environment campaign group LOVEmyBEACH are providing Wyre women with reusable sanitary products during the Covid-19 pandemic, amid fears 'period poverty' is affecting many women and teens.

If the project is successful, LOVEmyBEACH hoped to secure more funding, to reach other Fylde coast women.

Currently, the most common sanitary items - disposable tampons and pads - cost the average woman £10 per month.

Period poverty, which is a lack of access to sanitary products due to financial difficulties, has increased by six times in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic.

30 per cent of teenage girls in the UK have reported being unable to access products during the pandemic, LOVEmyBEACH said.

The campaign group added that it wanted to ensure local women knew there was a long-term, sustainable solution, instead of using other materials in place of period products.

Emily Parr, Fylde beach care officer at LOVEmyBEACH, thought of the idea to distribute the products to support local women, as well as supporting the group's WOOP (Wipe Out Ocean Plastic) campaign.

Emily said: "The WOOP campaign was previously focused on raising awareness of these issues and encouraging behaviour change. However, LOVEmyBEACH decided we wanted to do something to directly help during the pandemic.

"At a time when many people are struggling to afford essential items, let alone switch to more expensive reusable products, we realised the WOOP campaign could have a far greater impact.

"Periods do not stop in a pandemic. Despite deepening financial hardships, all women should have access to effective and adequate period care products.

"By providing reusable products which will last for many years, we hope this project will benefit local women and children long term, whilst helping the

environment and our beaches too."

Local businesses which would like to support the project or provide donations can contact Emily at [email protected] .

Environment campaign to provide reusable period products through Wyre food bank