Free period products

We’re working in partnership with local organisations to help tackle period poverty in the borough.

Funding is being provided to support local women who are struggling with money, so they can be given reusable period products.

These reduce waste as well as helping people save at least £100 per year on products. You can get these via referral from:

• First Days Children’s Charity   
• Wokingham Foodbank

Products at our libraries

Free toiletries and sanitary products are available at our libraries thanks to our partnership with The Cowshed and The Hygiene Bank Reading.

If you would like to access these just ask a member of library staff and they'll be able to provide a bag with the items you need.

Reusable products at discounted rates

Reusable sanitary products can help everyone reduce their spending. They are a one off investment which can last for years. Disposable products cost around £10 per month, according to estimates from Bloody Good Period.

We’ve created partners for discounted products. These are:

• The Period Lady – buy online, use code WOK10 to save 10 per cent (unless higher discounts already apply)
• Flux Undies – buy online, use code WBC20 to save 20 per cent
• Cheeky Pants - buy online, use code WBC15 to save 15 per cent

Help for young people and schools

As well as these local initiatives, a Government period product scheme is available to all state maintained schools and 16 to 19 education organisations in England. This includes access to reusable products.

The scheme makes sure period products should be available for all who need them, when they need them, in order to access education. Having periods should not be a barrier to education for anyone.

How reusable products help your pocket and the planet

• Data from before the impacts of the cost of living crisis kicked in shows in the UK one in ten people with periods cannot afford menstrual products
• One in seven people say they have struggled to afford menstrual products
• A standard pack of single-use pads contains the same amount of plastic as five plastic carrier bags
• 200,000 tonnes of menstrual waste is created every year in the UK alone, most of these end up incinerated, like they do in Wokingham borough, or in landfill
• Buying new products every month can cost about £130 per year where as reusables can last between five and ten years
• A Mooncup is between £20 and £25 while a set of reusable pads is about £10