A vintage shop in Cardiff is appealing to its customers to donate spare sanitary products for homeless women.
In response to #TheHomelessPeriod campaign, Linzie Elliott, owner of Eagle Eye Vintage shop in The Castle Emporium, has placed a suitcase in her shop to encourage customers to donate spare sanitary products for women who cannot afford them.
Linzie Elliot, owner of Eagle Eye Vintage in Cardiff, has placed a vintage suitcase in her shop to encourage donations of sanitary products for homeless women. (Photograph by Linzie Elliott)
“I first learnt about ‘The Homeless Period’ after reading an article online and I couldn’t believe it had never crossed my mind before, so I have made my shop a base for donations of spare sanitary products,” Linzie says.
The Homeless Period campaign has sparked great publicity and now gathered over 101,000 signatures. The campaign is calling on the government to provide funding to homeless shelters and charities for free sanitary products, with the slogan: ‘Because it doesn’t bare thinking about… and that’s the problem.’
The organisers of the campaign, Oliver Frost, Josie Shedden and Sara Bakharty, say, “For those with limited or no access to sanitary products, it really is that dreaded time of the month and they are often forced to go without.”
In the last few months there has been a strong backlash against the ‘tampon tax’, as tampons are currently taxed as ‘luxury items’, whereas men’s razors are taxed as ‘necessary’ and condoms are free at a number of clinics and shelters.
The Homeless Period says many shelters receive large razor donations for men, but few sanitary product donations. But this issue is resonating with local Cardiff men, as well as women, as Linzie has received many cash donations from men towards the campaign.
Linzie says, “It’s important that everyone is aware of this issue, regardless of gender. It’s been a great success and our first batch of products should be sent out by the end of this week.”
