FLINTSHIRE residents are teaming up with a community interest company to distribute free sanitary products in the battle against period poverty.

Several volunteers from Saltney are working in conjunction with the 'Given to Shine' scheme run by NW Nappy Collaborative CIC, community interest company which enables and supports the use of reusable nappies, as well as tackling period poverty and hunger poverty.

The scheme will see the distribution of free menstrual cups to teenagers in Saltney who are victims of period poverty - lacking access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, hand washing facilities, and, or, waste management.

The problems mean many students miss days of school, with a study in 2018 revealing that more than a quarter of Wrexham schoolgirls had been shown to have taken days off due to a lack of sanitary products.

Anyone wishing to benefit from this scheme can contact volunteer Donna Sue privately on Facebook.

She said: "I am working with Given To Shine to provide practical support for those struggling financially.

"As well as suffering from hunger and period poverty, many people we support are struggling for hygiene products. This is directly and negatively affecting their self esteem and is causing social isolation.

"People are hiding away because they’re scared of smelling and have no deodorant, shampoo, soap or washing powder to rectify this.

And Donna says the scope of the problem is very significant.

She added: "We have families desperate for sunblock for their little ones, terrified of them getting sunburn at school, sports day, in the garden and the like

"We cannot emphasise just how destitute some of the families are and it breaks our hearts.

"Together, we can improve the lives of our neighbours, friends, family and support them through extremely difficult times."