Fiona Hyslop MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency is calling for community spaces in West Lothian who currently offer free period products to join the new PickUpMyPeriod App that allows users to identify locations where period products can be accessed for free in Scotland.
The PickUpMyPeriod app currently links to over 700 venues in many communities where free products are available, but not all premises who offer this, have downloaded the app to highlight that they’re part of the initiative.
Fiona commented,
“This is another ground-breaking project on the road to fight period poverty. Scotland was the first country in the world to make period products widely available for free – firstly in schools, colleges and universities, then followed by wider access in communities – and we should be very proud of that.
“This app is a great tool to help individuals, their family members or friends find and access the places closest to them where they can pick up sanitary products for free.
“Whether it’s a school, a community centre or a library, any premises who offer free period products is helping to combat period poverty and this app can highlight their efforts even further, and so I would urge all community spaces who offer this, to sign up to the app to make free period products even more accessible to those who need them.
“For locations not listed on the app, information on how to access free period products should be available from your Local Authority.”
ENDS
| Background IOS – PickupMyPeriod app Android – PickupMyPeriod app World Leading Action on Period Products The Period Products (Free Provision) Scotland Act 2021 (“the Act”) places duties on Local Authorities and education providers to make period products obtainable free of charge for anyone who needs them. The Act will come fully into force by January 2023 at the latest and will ensure that everyone in Scotland who needs them can have reasonably convenient access to period products, free of charge, as and when they are required. In advance of this, free products continue to be available through Local Authorities’ voluntary provision and through the Period Products in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020. Building on Local Authorities’ voluntary provision, Scottish Government funded Hey Girls, through their Education arm ‘My Period’, to develop an app (PickupMyPeriod) that allows users to identify locations where period products can be accessed for free in Scotland. The app is available to all Local Authorities to input their locations and, so far, the majority of Authorities are involved. For locations not listed on the app, information on how to access free period products should be available from your Local Authority. |
