Free products are being distributed in schools across South Gloucestershire to help tackle period poverty.

The boxes have been placed in school toilets after research from Plan International revealed 10 per cent of girls in the UK cannot afford to buy period products and an estimated 137,000 miss school because of their periods.

Boxes and promotional materials have been placed in six secondary schools, including Marlwood, Winterbourne Academy, Brimsham Green and Chipping Sodbury, as well as several primaries.

Director of public health at South Gloucestershire Council, Sara Blackmore, said: “One in 10 girls between the ages of 14 and 21 in the UK have been unable to afford period products.

“We want to make sure that no young woman in our area misses out on her education because of her period, and are pleased to be able to support them with these boxes of free products.”

Cabinet member for adults and public health Cllr Ben Stokes said: “We want to help tackle this inequality by making these free period products available in local schools, which should also help to see improvements in attendance levels.”

The project was supplemented by a donation of period products from homelessness charity Caring in Bristol.

Any school interested in taking part can contact the public health team via healthylifestyles@southglos.gov.uk