Today, in the Spring Statement, for the first time ever, the government pledged an end to period poverty in schools by committing to provide free menstrual products for all children in secondary schools and colleges. 

270,000 of you signed the #FreePeriods petition since we launched almost two years ago, and every single one of you has made this outcome possible. You have written to your MPs, lobbied Parliament, shouted for action at the #FreePeriods protest, and have not stopped calling for change.

We have all done this together, and this is proof that activism can yield results. We need to make sure this is implemented in a sustainable, long-term way, with ring-fenced funding and this must be enshrined in legislation. The pledge does not cover primary schools as far as we know, but we need every single child to be able to access menstrual products while in compulsory education. There can be no good reason to exclude children at primary school, who may begin menstruating from a young age. We will keep calling for this and holding the government to account.

Thank you to every one of you who has been part of the #FreePeriods movement to end period poverty in schools!

Best wishes,
Amika