Red Box Project will go live in Watford schools

The Red Box Project encourages women in the community to sponsor a “red box” drop off point at a school near them to keep it stocked with sanitary towels and spare underwear.

The project has recently launched in Watford and among the donation points taking part are Evolve Beauty and Spa on Vicarage Road and Queens’ School in Bushey. Coop stores in the area are also getting involved.

Boxes are easily accessible via an appropriate member of staff and posters will be placed in girl’s toilets with more information.

The Red Box Project will support disadvantaged young women throughout their period and help overstretched teachers who take on the responsibility of helping pupils and stocking emergency sanitary items.

Sian Henry, Queen’s School governor and Watford Red Box coordinator, said: “Now I know that we have the support of the community we should be able to sustain the momentum.

“I am now focusing on recruiting more schools and other youth projects that have school age young women attending who could benefit from a box.”

Sian said she has been greatly supported by the Watford Labour Party women forum, councillors Ian Stotesbury, Kareen Hastrick and Paul Watkin, and youth minister at Wellspring Church, David Dodwell.

The Red Box Project, which started in Portsmouth one year ago, said the scheme is entirely funded by “community kindness, woman to young woman”, and now has over 400 red boxes across the UK and two in the US.

A spokesperson for The Red Box Project, said: “A young woman's education will shape her future. We strongly felt it was time for communities of women to step up, work together and help."

"We want to make sure this is the last generation of girls to suffer the indignity and embarrassment of period poverty."

For more information visit: www.facebook.com/theredboxprojectuk

Or to donate: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/theredboxproject

To coordinate or support a red box: redboxprojectuk@gmail.com