A community project working to end the period poverty scourge.

Period poverty is when girls and women cannot afford menstrual products.

This can have a "devastating impact" on girls who may have to miss school and whose health can be affected.

The Red Box Project is a community initiative that was first launched in Portsmouth in March 2017 by four friends who were angered by the issue of period poverty.

They decided to help in their community schools and invited volunteers from across the country to do the same and is now a national initiative.

The project aims to ensure that no girl misses out on her education because she has her period.

They have organised donation points across the country and aim to have a red box in every primary school, secondary school and sixth form college by the end of the year.

Emily Wheeler from Waltham Forest launched the project in the borough in October last year.

Ms Wheeler said: “The project has really inspired people to get involved and we now have several volunteer co-ordinators around the borough, putting red boxes into their local schools.

“It is hard to believe that in one of the richest cities in the world, thousands of girls are experiencing this kind of poverty, which puts their health and education at risk.

“Where there is a Red Box Project it has been proven to improve girls’ school attendance.

“The boxes contain a variety of sanitary products and new underwear and girls can take whatever they need, no questions asked.”

She found that 20,000 girls in the borough are affected by period poverty.

Ms Wheeler said: “It is hard to believe that in one of the richest cities in the world, thousands of girls are experiencing this kind of poverty, which puts their health and education at risk.

“Where there is a Red Box Project it has been proven to improve girls’ school attendance.

“The boxes contain a variety of sanitary products and new underwear and girls can take whatever they need, no questions asked.”

This week Ms Wheeler reached out to businesses, community groups and all residents with the support of Waltham Forest Council on Thursday.

Cllr Naheed Asghar, Cabinet Member for Health & Voluntary Sector Partnerships, said: "Many young women in the borough are unable to afford menstrual products; for them, dealing with their period every month is a real challenge.

"This can have a devastating impact on their lives, their self-esteem, and their ability to deal with their daily-life obligations. We are particularly concerned about young girls who may miss days at school or college because of the pressure and stress caused by their periods.

"Our support for this project is part of our commitment to improve life chances for all our residents and to help ensure that no young woman misses out on her education because of her period."