Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
GIFT WELLNESS FOUNDATION
ANNUAL REPORT
Reporting Period: 2 November 2024 – 1 November 2025
Registered Charity Number: 1182451
Correspondence Address
63 Gladstone Street, Derby, DE23 6PQ
The Objective
The relief of poverty and the promotion and preservation of good health among women and girls in such parts of the world as the trustees shall from time to time determine by the provision of sanitary products that they would otherwise be unable to afford due to lack of means and by the provision of information regarding the use of sanitary products and menstruation and personal hygiene in particular but not exclusively by working with established national, international registered charities and organisations, focusing on projects to supply non-toxic and ethical sanitary products to women and girls in need.
Trustees
Chair of the Gift Wellness Foundation: Aneesa Talib
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Dr Zareen Roohi Ahmed (Founder)
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Aneesa Talib
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Naurin Ahmed
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Ebony Haughton
Bank
Royal Bank of Scotland Market Place Derby, DE1
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
Objectives
Through PeriodPoverty.uk, the Gift Wellness Foundation supports women and girls in crisis by providing menstrual products to those who cannot afford or access them, including women on low incomes, people using food banks, homeless and refugee women, students and girls whose education or everyday participation may be affected by a lack of period products.
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To develop practical, dignified community access to free menstrual products, beginning in Derby and extending through partner networks.
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To work with volunteers, community organisations, health settings and businesses to build sustainable local responses to period poverty.
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To support women and girls affected by conflict, displacement, poverty and humanitarian crises where safe and appropriate partnerships are available.
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To challenge stigma, myths and taboos around menstruation and normalise conversations about periods, health and dignity.
Key Highlights from This Year’s Activities
On behalf of the Trustees, we are pleased to present the Gift Wellness Foundation Annual Report for the period 2 November 2024 to 1 November 2025. This year represented an important transition for the Foundation: the groundwork laid for Period Angels in the previous reporting period moved into active delivery, wider promotion and a major community Open Day.
Period Angels – From Development to Delivery
Period Angels, supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, remained the Foundation’s principal programme during the year. The initiative is designed to make free menstrual products easier to locate and access in trusted community settings, while also encouraging individuals and organisations to become part of a wider movement to end period poverty.
Building on the community relationships, volunteers and early stations established during the previous year, we continued to grow the Period Angels network in Derby and promote the initiative more widely through our website, app, social media and partner organisations.
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
Period Angels promotional campaign used during the reporting year.
Community Partnerships and Period Angels Stations
The Foundation continued to partner with local businesses, women’s projects, community organisations, clinics and other trusted settings. Period Angels Stations act as local access points where menstrual products can be made available discreetly and without stigma. The model also enables community members and partner organisations to contribute products and help sustain local provision.
This partnership-led approach has been central to the Foundation’s work. Rather than expecting people experiencing period poverty to identify themselves to a specialist service, products can be available through places they already know and use.
Working with GP Practices
An important strand of the programme was engagement with GP practices. Primary care settings offer a trusted and accessible route to women and families who may not otherwise approach a food bank or specialist support service. We therefore worked with GP practices to explore how Period Angels could be embedded within local health and community networks, including the provision and signposting of free menstrual products.
This work strengthened the potential for Period Angels to become a replicable community model in which health professionals, voluntary groups, businesses and local residents all have a role in protecting menstrual dignity.
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
Digital and National Reach
Although much of the practical delivery was rooted in Derby, Period Angels has always been intended to reach beyond one city. During the year, our online following and subscriber base continued to grow. Through social media and digital communications, we promoted the Period Angels model, signposted people towards support and encouraged organisations in other parts of the country to participate.
This digital reach has enabled a locally developed initiative to contribute to a wider national conversation about period poverty, community responsibility and the importance of making essential menstrual products available with dignity.
Awareness Raising and Public Voice
The Foundation continued to use public speaking, events, interviews, podcasts and online communications to raise awareness of period poverty and menstrual dignity. Dr Zareen Roohi Ahmed, Founder of the Gift Wellness Foundation, remained the Foundation’s principal spokesperson and continued to use public platforms to highlight the realities of period poverty and encourage businesses, professionals and community leaders to become part of practical solutions.
Period Angels Open Day – 29 September 2025
One of the most significant milestones of the year was the Period Angels Open Day held on Monday 29 September 2025 at the Gift Wellness warehouse in Dunstall Park, Derby. The event provided an opportunity for local organisations and community members to learn about Period Angels, meet the team, understand how to access and distribute free products, and take away starter supplies.
The Open Day brought the community-facing elements of the project together in one place and helped convert awareness into practical participation. Around 25 new Period Angels Stations were established or initiated through the event, with additional starter packs subsequently delivered to organisations that had been unable to attend.
The event also created new conversations and partnerships and provided a visible focal point for the Foundation’s message: period poverty can be addressed locally when communities, businesses, health services and voluntary organisations work together.
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
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Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
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Period Angels Open Day, 29 September 2025.
Distribution and Practical Support
Throughout the reporting period, the Foundation continued to make menstrual products available through its community partnerships and Period Angels network. This practical distribution remains at the heart of our charitable purpose: ensuring that women and girls experiencing financial hardship or crisis can access essential period products.
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
Planned Humanitarian Support for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
The Foundation intended to make a substantial donation of menstrual products to Syrian refugee communities in Lebanon. Plans included volunteers joining an organised deployment to assist with distribution on the ground, allowing the Foundation to combine material support with direct humanitarian engagement.
The deployment was delayed because of the deterioration in regional security, including conflict involving Iran and attacks affecting Lebanon. The safety of volunteers and partner teams must take priority. We are therefore awaiting the all-clear from the organisers before resuming the deployment. The products and our commitment to the project remain in place, and we intend to proceed when our partners confirm that conditions allow the deployment to take place safely.
Partnerships, Supporters and Community Capacity
Our work continues to depend upon collaboration. We are grateful to the local businesses, women’s projects, community organisations, health partners, volunteers and supporters who have helped us distribute products, establish Period Angels Stations and share information with their communities.
The growth of these relationships demonstrates that period poverty is not an issue that needs to be addressed by charities alone. By giving trusted organisations simple tools and practical ways to participate, we can build community capacity and make menstrual dignity a shared responsibility.
What We Learned
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Trusted, local access points can reduce the stigma associated with asking for free menstrual products.
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Health and community organisations are well placed to identify need and signpost support.
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Digital communications can extend the reach of a locally rooted programme and help connect people with support nationally.
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Partnership working allows the Foundation to achieve greater reach than product distribution alone.
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Public conversation remains important: tackling period poverty requires both practical provision and continued work to normalise menstruation and challenge stigma.
Looking Ahead
The experience of this reporting year has reinforced our belief that Period Angels can provide a practical and scalable community-led response to period poverty. We intend to continue strengthening the network, deepening relationships with GP practices and community partners, growing our digital reach and encouraging more organisations to become local access points.
We also remain committed to the planned humanitarian donation and deployment supporting Syrian refugee communities in Lebanon and will proceed when the organisers confirm that it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Above all, the Foundation will continue working towards a future in which no woman or girl is prevented from participating fully in education, work or community life because she cannot afford or access period products.
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
Thanks
The Trustees extend their sincere thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund, our community and health partners, volunteers, local businesses, women’s organisations, supporters and everyone who has hosted a Period Angels Station, distributed products, shared our messages or helped make period poverty more visible.
Every product made available and every new access point represents something simple but important: dignity, reassurance and solidarity for someone who needs it.
Financial Summary
Gift Wellness Foundation Account: 2 November 2024 – 1 November 2025
| Opening Balance | £1475 |
|---|---|
| Money In | £62119 |
| Money Out | £60842 |
| Closing Balance | £2752 |
Dr Zareen Roohi Ahmed
Founder, Gift Wellness Foundation
Zareen@periodpoverty.uk | 07415 895 220
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
GIFT WELLNESS FOUNDATION ACCOUNTS
| GIFT WELLNESS FOUNDATION | GIFT WELLNESS FOUNDATION | GIFT WELLNESS FOUNDATION | 1182451 | CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | |||||
| For the period from |
02/11/2024 | To | 01/11/2025 | ||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |
| to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ |
to the nearest £ |
|
| A1 Receipts | |||||
| Donations | **56,994 ** | - | - | **56,994 ** | 32,390 |
| HMRC Gift Aid | 5,125 | - | - | 5,125 | 4,516 |
| Sub total _(Gross income for AR) _ | 62,119 | - | - | 62,119 | 36,906 |
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||
| - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - |
| **Total receipts ** | 62,119 | - | - | 62,119 | 36,906 |
| A3 Payments | |||||
| Purchase of menstrual products | 41,150 | - | - | 41,150 | 26,800 |
Donation processing fees |
720 | - | - | 720 | 720 |
Staff wages |
14,046 | 14,046 | **14,792 ** | ||
Payroll Taxation |
**884 ** | **884 ** | 714 | ||
Pension contributions |
**1,182 ** | - | - | **1,182 ** | 1,170 |
| Travel | 1,867 | 1,867 | - | ||
| Other | 993 | 993 | - | ||
| **Sub total ** | 60,842 | - | - | 60,842 | 44,196 |
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||
| - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | ||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | - | - |
| **Totalpayments ** | 60,842 | - | - | 60,842 | 44,196 |
| Net of receipts/(payments) | 1,277 | - | - |
1,277 | - 7,290 |
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | |
| A6 Cash funds lastyear end | 1,475 | - | - | 1,475 | 8,765 |
| Cash funds thisyear end | 2,752 | - | - |
2,752 | 1,475 |
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •
Gift Wellness Foundation | Registered Charity No. 1182451
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories | Details | Details | Details | Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||
| B1 Cash funds | Bank | 2,752 | - | 1,475 | ||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| Total cash funds | 2,752 | - | 1,475 | |||
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - | - | - | |||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) |
Current value (optional) |
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| B3 Investment assets | - | - | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) |
Current value (optional) |
|||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- | - | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Details | Fund to which liability relates |
Amount due (optional) |
When due (optional) |
|||
| B5 Liabilities | - | |||||
| - | ||||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | Date of approval |
|||
| Zareen Roohi Ahmed | 29/08/2026 |
We have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Evans & Associates 86C Water Street Birmingham B3 1HL
Gift Wellness Foundation | info@periodpoverty.uk | www.periodpoverty.uk •