Don’t get caught out this Christmas – Free sanitary products are now available at even more venues in BwD

Many of us need period products every month – girls, women and people who have periods – but they can be expensive if you’re struggling for money, especially with the ongoing cost of living crisis.

With this in mind, the Council’s Public Health team have added even more Council venues to the list of places which stock completely free period products such as sanitary pads and tampons – to make sure everyone who needs to has access to the products when they need them.

There are Family Hubs, community centres, shops, youth centres, libraries and charities in Blackburn and Darwen where you can pick up period products – all completely free.

So if you’re out and about this Christmas and New Year and get caught out, or if you or someone you know are struggling to afford the products, please pop into one of the many venues which are offering the free products.

Products are available at the new venues here:

• Blackburn Central Library
• Darwen Library
• Witton Leisure Centre
• Blackburn Leisure Centre
• Darwen Leisure Centre
• Livesey Family Hub
• Little Harwood Family Hub
• Darwen Family Hub
• Shadsworth Family Hub

They are also available at:

• Young People’s Services – Kaleidoscope Youth Centre, Lindisfarne Avenue, Blackburn
• Shadsworth Hub, Rothesay Road, Blackburn
• Mill Hill Community Centre, New Chapel Street, Blackburn
• Little Harwood Community Centre, Whalley Old Road, Blackburn
• Ivy Street Community Centre, Ivy Close, Blackburn
• Greenfields Community Centre, Green lane, Blackburn
• Energy Zone, Fishmoor Drive, Blackburn
• Darwen Valley Community Centre, Sudellside Street, Darwen
• Accrington Road Community Centre, Accrington Road, Blackburn
• Bangor Street Community Centre, Norwich Street, Blackburn
• Rummage Rescuers CIC, Harrison Street, Whalley Banks, Blackburn
• Blackburn Youth Zone, Jubilee Street, Blackburn
• Blackburn College, Feilden Street, Blackburn – available for students
• Brook Blackburn, Darwen Street, Blackburn – available for service users
• Morrison’s, Railway Road, Blackburn – available for customers at the service desk – ask for ‘Sandy’
• The Mall, Church Street, Blackburn – available at the help desk when you ask for a ‘package for Florence’

Depending on the venue, these will be in toilets or you can discreetly ask someone for the products.

Access to these products is vital for basic human rights and dignity, and we hope this will make a big difference to the lives of people who need them.

You can also take a look at our handy online map which shows you exactly where you can pick up your free products: https://padlet.com/PeriodNetworkBwD/access-to-period-products-a3osaeq3a3e8mmns

Cllr Julie Gunn, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:

I’m really pleased that we have been able to add even more venues which are offering the free period products. I think this is especially important during the festive period when people often find themselves struggling for money due to the demands of the Christmas season.

The cost of living crisis is still with us and it is still forcing some people to make impossible choices between heating, eating, and trying to find the money for period products which of course are absolutely vital.

Anyone who need to can go along to their nearest venue and pick up their free period products. Please don’t be embarrassed to ask – this is massively important and we want as many people as possible to use the service if they need to.”