A 2023 survey found that over 1 in 5 people who menstruate in the UK now struggle to afford period products—about 2.8 million individuals. If you or someone you know is finding yourself in this situation, know that you’re not alone.
What is Pads on a Roll?
Portsmouth City Council have partnered with ‘Pads on a Roll’ by Egal to trial free access to sanitary pads inside toilet stalls. These products aim to bridge the gap for those who might be struggling to get sanitary pads.
Many people feel embarrassed or disempowered when asking for period products. The trial will run for 60 days, after which we will evaluate its effectiveness and calculate the average monthly cost of maintaining these products in services.
We have selected 10 locations across the city to trial this scheme. Each location will have a posters in the toilet, on the cubicle door and on the dispensers to inform the user there are pads available, with QR codes to fill out a survey about their experience. The locations include:
- Buckland Family Hub (PO1 4PN)
- Northern Parade Family Hub (PO2 9NE)
- Milton Park Family Hub (PO4 8EU)
- Somerstown Family Hub (PO5 4LP)
- Paulsgrove Family Hub (PO6 3PL)
- Portsmouth Civic Centre (PO1 2AL)
- Fratton community centre (PO1 5JJ)
- Intuitive thinking skills (PO2 7DX)
- All Saints Church, (Commercial Rd)
- John Jenkins Stadium (PO3 6LA)
Why are we doing this?
- To provide free period products to residents in strategic locations across Portsmouth
- To gain local insights from residents on their ability to afford period products
- To get feedback from residents on this specific product
Why are we asking for survey responses?
We want to understand more about which our residents are impacted by period poverty. We hope to use these 60 days as an opportunity to gather information from residents and support those that need it.
If you receive any feedback about the product (even if the person didn’t use it), please encourage them to scan the QR codes on the dispensers and posters.
Important Things to Note:
- Encourage people to only take what they need. This resource is primarily for those who are caught without period products and should not be seen as a long-term solution. We expect initial high usage, but this should stabilise as people become accustomed to having period products available in toilet stalls.
- We understand that the rising cost of living will significantly impact our communities, likely affecting their ability to afford period products. To support this, we have written a blog post on the cost-of-living hub, offering advice on how to save money on period products and where to access them for free locally if needed. You can find the blog here: Periods don’t have to be heavy (on your pocket) – Cost of Living (portsmouth.gov.uk)