In 2014, I was diagnosed with Endometriosis - a debilitating condition that continues to affect me to this day. Prior to that, I had struggled with periods since I was 11 years old - over 15 years. However, one thing I never struggled with was having access to period products - sanitary pads or tampons - and informative knowledge about what was happening to me and to my body. I never had to worry that I couldn't have access to these things that were, somehow, considered a luxury.

In recent years, I've become acutely aware that I was very fortunate in all of this, and that - in truth - Period Poverty is a real problem. It is easy to assume that period poverty might only exist in countries where we perceive poverty to be a general problem, but in truth it is much closer to home than we can possibly imagine.

In March 2024, I will be walking part of the Camino trail with my dad - 111km over five days from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. A week or so before I will celebrate my birthday and, whilst I don't always feel comfortable setting up a fundraiser just to celebrate my birth, I do feel that the adventure we will embark on is a good reason to try and raise some money to help towards a good cause.

I have teamed up with Bloody Good Period - a UK based period poverty charity - to raise as much money as possible for their amazing cause. They provide products, advice and education for women, children, and anyone who has a period and might not otherwise have access to these things - something that I believe should be free and available to everybody.

For detailed information on what Bloody Good Period does, you can visit their website here:

https://www.bloodygoodperiod.com

From the bottom of my heart, Thank You!

Hanna xx

Period products aren’t free and accessible in the UK, which means that many people can’t afford or access them. People who menstruate suffer because of the culture of embarrassment and shame that exists around this natural, biological process.

Bloody Good Period gives period products to those who can’t afford them and provide reproductive health education to those less likely to access it. And we help everybody talk about periods!