In 2021, we launched WINGS, a project by YWMP which aims to tackle period poverty in Oxford by delivering free sanitary and childcare products to support people who struggle to access and afford these products.
We believe that no one should have to go without these essentials and that they must be free and easily accessible to everyone.
The Facts
Period poverty - being unable to access sanitary products and having a poor knowledge of menstruation, often due to financial constraints
According to Plan UK, 1 in 10 people that menstruate cannot afford to buy sanitary products.1 in 7 people that menstruate struggle to afford sanitary products every month. 49% of people that menstruate have reported missing a day of school due to their period. £18,000 is the average spend on period products over a lifetime
Lack of access to period or childcare products has a lasting impact on individuals’ mental wellbeing and physical health, taking an emotional toll as well as limiting people’s ability to study, work, exercise, or leave the home. No one should have to choose between eating that week versus affording period products or nappies.
What are doing about it?
WINGS has a stock of sanitary products, wet wipes and nappies that we deliver around Oxford through our volunteer-run distribution service. These supplies are delivered monthly, on the first Sunday of every month.
Although our waiting list to become a WINGS recipient is currently full, we are working hard to increase our capacity to be able to meet the demand.
Please get in touch via wings@ywmp.org.uk and we will notify you when we have capacity to add you to our recipients list for free monthly deliveries
Longterm goals
Alongside our deliveries, YWMP are hoping to build a movement for free period products. We are connecting with period poverty campaigns from across the UK to create a base for a local campaign which will then feed into national pressure for the government to follow Scotland’s lead and provide free sanitary products. If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the project, please email wings@ywmp.org.uk.
This has been made possible with the support of Logan Foundation and TORCH.
Volunteers
We rely on our amazing volunteers to package and deliver the supplies every month to the people we support. There is no ongoing commitment to volunteering - we will email out a rota each month and you can sign up to do as many deliveries as you would like to, in the locations you’re happy to deliver to.
To volunteer, sign up HERE.
We have invested in a beautiful mode of transport for deliveries, take a look at our cargo trike refurbished by Nine Lives Cycles and painted by the incredible Rosie Rowland. Let us know if you’re interested in making deliveries on this cargo trike!
Donations
For our project to survive and to be able to continue delivering sanitary products to those that need them, we need donations. It is sadly unsustainable and very expensive for us to continue purchasing the amount of stock we need.
This is where we are kindly asking for your help. We are very appreciative of donations of unopened sanitary, childcare and incontinence products including period and incontinence pads, tampons, and nappies in all sizes.
These can be donated at our donation points which are:
Tesco Superstore in Cowley retail park
Y.O.U Underwear in the Covered Market
The Star Pub on Rectory Road
Pelaton Espresso on on Cowley Road
Oxfam Superstore
Makespace, 1 Aristotle Lane
If you would like to set up a donation point or organise a donations campaign at your business or in your community, please email wings@ywmp.org.uk
For money transactions, please click HERE and follow the instructions quoting WINGS in your message.
Thank you for supporting our mission.
