We are small group of women from Portsmouth who are on a mission and have decided to set up, 'The Red Box Project'. We will pilot our project within three schools in the Portsmouth area.

The project is a simple but effective scheme to provide girls with free sanitary protection if they cannot afford, or are too embarrassed, to buy their own. Any school who signs up to this free scheme will receive a red box filled with sanitary items donated by the community to be kept by the School Nurse or other appropriate member of staff. The female pupils of that school can access this box at any time and take from it a prepared brown paper bag filled with sanitary items - providing them with the reassurance that they will be protected throughout their menstrual cycle. We have been very careful to select the items that they prefer and we will provide individual items in the box too if a bag is not necessary.

Halfway down inside of the box will be our contact details so that when supplies fall below a member of staff can either call or email us. The box will then be replenished by us within 48 hours. This is a free service to any school who signs up with us and we will never let the box run out.

We will also provide posters to be placed in the girls' toilets informing them of the scheme.

No tearful panics in the loo. No wadded up toilet roll. No missed lessons or staying at home. No anxious embarrassment. We believe that all women should be provided with the assurance that their 'time of the month' is perfectly normal and that the comfort that sanitary protection provides is vital.

A simple scheme, made with love for the young women in our community.