Red boxes filled with sanitary items are to be placed in schools across a district for pupils affected by period poverty.

Volunteers have established a branch of the Red Box Project, which provides free feminine hygiene products to girls who struggle to pay for them.

It has been launched in Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay.

One of the women leading the project is 30-year-old Jamie Tilbrook, of Studd Hill in Herne Bay.

“We hope to give girls security and confidence at school,” she explained.

“It also helps them if they’re stuck at school without products because they’d know they’d be able to ask for the red box.”

The scheme is part of nationwide efforts to eliminate period poverty, which refers to people being unable to afford items such as tampons.

In December, charity Plan International UK found one in 10 women aged between 14 and 21 have found sanitary products too expensive, while 12% have had to make their own. This was a process that Ms Tilbrook was familiar with as a teenager.

“I didn’t want to talk to my dad or brother about it, but I didn’t have the money and so would miss days at school,” she said.

“It was because of the embarrassment and fear of having an accident. Sometimes I’d have to create makeshift products. It shouldn’t be happening anymore.”

Ms Tilbrook says Barton Court, St Anselm’s and Herne Bay High have expressed interest in having a box for their pupils.

“We’re focussing on making them available to young women in education,” she added.

“I’ve also emailed Canterbury Christ Church University and Canterbury College because there are a lot of women there who don’t have a lot of money.

“We’re trying to encourage people to be more confident when talking about periods.”

The other members of the branch are Tizzie Kite, from Canterbury, and Emily Silverwood and Peri Morrow, who live in Whitstable.

They are also hoping to be able to deliver talks to young women on the topic of period poverty.

The volunteers have set up donation points at several places, including Woolf College at the University of Kent and Beach Creative in Herne Bay. But they are keen to establish more.

“We’re trying to get the word out about the work we’re doing and trying to find points around Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable,” Ms Tilbrook said.

“Sanitary pads, tampons, or even other little bits that help during a period, like bottles of deodorant and baby wipes, would be great for people to donate to us.”

For more details about the project, search for the Red Box Project Canterbury, Herne Bay & Whitstable on Facebook.