‘It started with an article I read in April 2017 about period poverty – girls on their period having to miss school or use toilet paper, newspaper, or old socks (because they couldn’t afford sanitary products). So I launched the #FreePeriods campaign with a petition on change.org. Within two weeks, we’d received thousands of signatures.’
‘I organised a demonstration outside Downing Street with Pink Protest: around 2,000 people turned up with speakers including Adwoa Aboah and Jess Phillips MP. It was the best day, with mainly teenagers – boys and girls – waving banners.’
‘I’m trying to tackle the period taboo. We’re socialised to think periods are gross. I have friends who didn’t tell their mums they’d started for six months – they were too embarrassed. I try to be really open about the subject.’
‘I can’t do everything – and have to remind myself of that, balancing the campaign with studying was overwhelming at times. [Initially] there were people who took me less seriously because I was young, but now my dream is to take Free Periods internationally.’
"I cried when the government pledged to provide free sanitary products in schools by 2020*"
Join the campaign at freeperiods.org and on Instagram @freeperiods