Councillors commend access to free period products in Highland

Free period products are available in Highland to everyone who needs them.

They can be accessed in community locations and through a home delivery service and are also available to pupils in schools.

Members of Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee welcomed the progress on making free period products available in the region which has been enabled through Scottish Government funding and is in line with the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021.

A public consultation carried out during the summer months informed the arrangements that The Highland Council has put in place with key partners to make products available in community settings.  These arrangements are set out in a Statement on Exercise of Functions.

Since 2018-2019, pads and tampons have been available free of charge for pupils in Highland Council schools.

Cllr Graham Mackenzie, Chair of The Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee said: “Thanks to our work with partners, many will benefit from the availability of free period products in Highland. This will particularly ease the financial burden on low-income households, which is especially welcome in the context of the cost-of-living crisis.”

There are now over 80 community pick-up points where pads and tampons can be collected, these are in Highland Council and High Life Highland premises such as leisure and community centres, libraries, service points and visitor attractions. Details of these locations can be found on the Council’s website at: www.highland.gov.uk/freeperiodproducts

Lynn Bauermeister, High Life Highland’s Head of Health and Wellbeing said: “High Life Highland is pleased to be supporting The Highland Council’s important work to ensure people can access period products in communities, in a way that respects the dignity of anyone in need, by placing period products freely available in the facilities that we operate such as leisure centres and libraries.”

The Highland Council is also working with the social enterprise, Hey Girls, to offer a home delivery service aimed at those living in remote locations in Highland or who would otherwise have a limited access to the community pick-up points. This service also gives access to reusable period products, such as menstrual cups and washable pads.

Georgie Nicholson from Hey Girls CIC said: “Hey Girls are delighted to be partnering with The Highland Council to offer a home delivery service enabling the whole Highland community to access free, sustainable and reusable period products direct to their door.”

A further partnership is with CFINE to deliver free period products directly to local food groups, such as community larders and food banks. CFINE operate FareShare Grampian, Highlands & Islands and already distribute surplus food to a network of local groups.

Fiona Rae, CFINE Chief Executive said: “This partnership with The Highland Council is a great opportunity to continue our work with local groups to provide food and period products to those needing them the most.”

Information on the free period products scheme is available at: www.highland.gov.uk/freeperiodproducts