Red Box Scheme

Helping to reduce menstrual inequalities
Shelf display of sanitary products for the red box scheme
We want to help reduce menstrual inequities, so the Faculty of Health (FoH) Equality team have arranged for boxes of period products to be available across their locations as part of their Athena Swan initiatives.
The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FoSE) joined this scheme in September 2024. 
The Red Box Scheme also supports any staff, students or visitors who are caught short on campus by ensuring they have access to free sanitary products when they need them. Where possible, the boxes have been placed in gender neutral/accessible toilets so that all genders have access.
Athena Swan Silver award, repositioned

Period Poverty

Period poverty is the lack of access to sanitary products due to financial constraints (RCN, 2022). It disproportionately affects women and girls, making it an equality issue. In the current economic climate, we understand that students who menstruate may be under particular financial pressure, and so the Red Box Scheme is a small part of the wider fight against period poverty.
  • Want to learn more about period poverty?
  • Want to set up your own Red Box? The project leads would love to hear from you! Contact FoHEquality@plymouth.ac.uk or the FoSE EDI Administrator Emily Bradley .
  • You can help local women and girls have a better period by donating products to your local Food Bank.
  • You can also help increase awareness of period poverty, and reduce the stigma of periods, just by talking to others about the Red Box scheme. Why not raise the issues of menstrual wellbeing with your manager or representatives?
Dr Jaysan Charlesford originally set up the Red Box Scheme in the School of Psychology.
This video explains why this scheme is so important.

Boxes are available at:

Venue Location Volunteer/Champion
2-3 Kirkby Place Ground floor female toilets next to room 011 Gosia Wojtys
Babbage Ground floor gender neutral/accessible toilet, 3rd floor gender neutral/accessible toilet Anna Fisker-Hansen
CEE Ground floor female and gender neutral/accessible toilet. Linda Cutler
Davy North 5th floor female toilet Martie Stothoff
Dental Education Facilities - Derriford, Devonport, Exeter and Truro Managed and funded by PDSE. Sinead Anderson
Exeter, Richmond Building Ground floor gender neutral toilet. Natalie Sobey
ICP All floors gender neutral/accessible toilets Sharon Clark/Marie Dannan
John Bull Building Ground floor and 1st floor gender neutral/accessible toilets. 1st and 2nd floor female toilets. Claire Dixon
Link Building 2nd floor female toilet Lou Crichton, Sophie Harris (student champion)
Marine Building 1st floor disabled toilets at both ends of the building Tim Davies
Marine Station Ground floor disabled toilet Rebecca Sandercock & Fran Hockley
Nancy Astor Building Ground floor, 1st floor and 2nd floor gender neutral toilets. Natalie Sobey
Portland Square A Block level 2 Gender neutral accessible toilet Jaysan Charlesford, Clare Walsh
Portland Square A Block level 3 Female toilet Mara Wolf
Portland Square A Block level 4 Female and accessible toilet Marie Sleeman & Erica Scammell
Portland Square A Block level 5 Female and accessible toilet Donella Bone & Jo Thomas
Portland Square B Block level 2 Female toilet Clare Walsh, Sophie Homer
Portland Square C Block 2nd floor and 4th floor gender neutral/accessible toilet Sara Handy / Paul Laurance-Young
Reynolds Ground floor female toilet and disabled toilet Charlotte Cree
Rolle 4th floor accessible toilet. Caryn Michael
Smeaton Ground floor gender neutral/accessible toilet, 3rd floor female toilets Emily Bradley
Truro, KSpa 1st floor, gender neutral/accessible toilet Natalie Sobey/Nicky Clemens
 
 
 
Students with sanitary products for the red box scheme
Girl holding sanitary products for the red box scheme

Honestly, this box is a lifesaver. Without it I would’ve had to go home so many times and I know it’s the same for others.

This box is amazing! Saved me going home and I got more work done.

Please get in touch with the volunteer/champion for your area if you notice any issues with the Red Box.
If you have any comments about the scheme and how it has supported you or suggestions for improvement, please use our feedback survey to leave your anonymous feedback or scan the QR code found next to the Red Box.