Surrey County Council (SCC) marked three years of its Period Dignity campaign on Menstrual Hygiene Day.
Last year, SCC relaunched the campaign with new period pad donation boxes and period pad collection trays across 40 libraries in the county. Farnham Library is one of these points including nearby Aldershot, Camberley, Godalming and Haslemere.
![The donation box at Farnham Library](https://www.farnhamherald.com/tindle-static/image/2024/05/30/8/33/Period_dignity_campaign.jpg?width=669&height=445&crop=669:445)
Deputy Leader of Surrey County Council and Cabinet Member for Communities and Community Safety Denise Turner-Stewart said: “With the cost of living crisis continuing to present many residents with financial challenges, we know how invaluable the availability of these sanitary products can be.
“We know that there are still cultural issues around education and social stigma which this campaign is determined to overcome. It’s time to accept that this is part of the human cycle of physiology which affects women and girls throughout their life and we need to not be embarrassed.
“The ability to maintain basic hygiene is an absolute essential necessity, and we’ll continue to ensure that everyone in Surrey has access to the resources, support, and education they need to manage their period with dignity.
“A big thank you to everyone who has donated over the past few years - the generosity of residents and staff does not go unnoticed. I encourage everyone to take the free period products if they need them and donate what they can next time they visit their local library.”
A report from The Hygiene Bank revealed that hygiene poverty affects 4.2 million adults in the UK with the cost of living crisis as the biggest contributor.