Equality Period Limited
Annual Report for the period ending February 2023
Equality Period Limited
Charity No: NIC108424
Address: c/0 Coast Road, Drains Bay, Larne BT40 2LF
Equality Period is a limited company, registered as a charity, that exists on a 'Not-for-Profit basis to
carry out charitable purposes that benefit the community rather than private shareholders.
TRUSTEES
Suzanne Oag
Colleen Gardner
Shannon Taylor
Tracy Mcclean
AIMS AND OBJEcfivES
We recognise the trauma, stress and anxiety caused by not having access to the products or
appropriate knowledge needed to manage our periods and menstrual health. We work to create
menstrual equity within society by providing those pulled into poverty, homelessness or otherwise
displaced people and their dependents with access to free period products of their choice as well as
essential hygiene and personal care products.
We recognise that hygiene poverty is not a standalone issue. We work in partnership with a varied
range of statutory and voluntary organisations within Northern Ireland who have appropriate
safeguards and ongoing comprehensive support in place. This includes but is not limited to Health
and Social Care Trusts, Primary and Post~Primary Schools, Youth Groups, Trussell Trust and
independent Food Banks, Women's Aid, Simon Community Northern Ireland, Libraries Nl, Refugee
services and Family Support Programmes.
Feedback from our network of community partners and testimony from beneficiaries tells us that the
ability to access to period products and other essential hygiene items via the organisations that clients
and service users are already involved or familiar with makes a huge difference to their overall well-
being.
AcfiviTIES FEBRUARY 2022-FEBRUARY 2023
There was little prospect of a calm after the pandemic storm. The cost-of-living crisis was building,
and immediately after the 2021 December hamper project our team began preparing for a difficult
year.
Each month we provided on average between 300-324 individual care packages across our community
partner network. In winter months we saw this spike to over 5(X) per month.
Despite the deep and relentless crisis 2022 was also a groundbreaking milestone year for Equality
Period and menstrual activists right across Northern Ireland. The collective efforts of our trustees,
Ulster University Students Union VP Grace Boyle, Youth Activist Ellie Massey and Menstruation Matters

campaign leads Homeless Period Belfast, finally saw The Period Product Free Provision Bill pass
through the Assembly with full support on 24, March. This legislation sees the provision of period
products in public buildings, including schools, finally locked into law.
Overall, despite this legislative progress on period product provision 2022 has been exceptionally
challenging. The ongoing effects of the pandemic, rise in the cost of living and lack of a functioning
government in Northern Ireland has greatly impacted our community partners, their service users as
well as our ability to source and purchase certain products.
Pop Up-Space- Supported by Eden Project Communities, we took a week's residency in a Mid
and East Antrim Council managed Pop-up space in Larne. This provided the first post-
pandemic and lockdown opportunity for our team to be public facing. This event coincided
with the passing of the Period Product legislation and was a very positive, celebratory
experience.
'Here if you need, _ We continued this initiative encouraging local businesses, workplaces, and
hospitality venues to include period products in their existing washroom provisions.
Working in partnership with volunteers from The Hygiene Bank Moira we have been able to
extend 'Here if you need, to areas in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council as well Armagh City,
Banbridge and Craigavon.
MEA Council Pilot Scheme - Disappointed by opposition to the original motion for the
provision of free period products in council facilities, our team took a proactive approach and
delivered over 4(X)O surplus vending machine period products to Mid and East Antrim Borough
Council offices. Community Planning staff agreed to use these products to implement a pilot
Carrickfergus as well as visitor attractions in Ballygally and Islandmagee.
Hygiene Poverty- Inflation has led to rapid increases in retail costs of period products as well
as basic hygiene essentials like toothpaste and shampoo. As well as regular contributions
across our community partner network we equipped the projects experiencing the highest
levels of need. Horizon Surestart, Larne High School and Access Employment Limited; with on-
site hygiene pantries designed to promote client autonomy, reduce shame and stigma. Staff
are then able to provide feedback to our volunteers which products are needed most by their
service users.
Menopause Café - We partnered with Menopause Café (SC048435) and Barbara Ann's
Victoria Road Larne to facilitate the first in-person Menopause Cafe in the local are" an event
Training - Suzanne and Tracy completed accredited training with ACET Nl and Split Banana in
Sexual Health & Contraception as well as Relationships and Sexuality Education Facilitation.
Workshops- We ran 12 online period education and breast health workshops as well as 4 in-
person events with our community partners at NHSCT and Women's Aid ABCLN.

Guest S￿akers - Equality Period were invited to speak at the 14 Onus Annual Awards
Ceremony held at Stormont about our role as Community Safe Place Advocates in Mid and
East Antrim. We raised awareness of the links between menstrual inequity and domestic
abuse and explained how'Here if you need, and Safe Place work together to make information
on services for anyone affected by domestic violence or abuse accessible.
Suzanne was invited to speak at Larne Foodbank AGM to highlight the continued close
partnership between Equality Period and the Foodbank and raise awareness of our work to
alleviate hygiene poverty. A total of 57 direct referrals were made by Equality Period to
Trussell Trust Foodbanks across Northern Ireland this year.
DeCem1￿r Hampers- We contributed over 3500 hygiene products plus 240 packs of nappies
for babies and children and 384 period products to the December Hamper project in
partnership with Larne Foodbank and CAP
RINGFENCED GRANTS
A training and education grant was awarded to Suzanne by Brighter Futures at Larne Football Club to
continue CPCAB (Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body) training in line with Equality
Period's long-term goal being able to offer counselling sessions and menstrual mental well-being
support within the community.
The Human Kind Foundation awarded a grant to help cover fuel expenses when delivering care
packages to our community partners which was very much appreciated.
SPECIAL THANKS
Equality Period are incredibly grateful to Carrie Ingram who raised an astonishing £2200 by running
the Belfast Marathon. These funds allowed us to provide care packages to organisations supporting
refugees, mental health in-patients at Shannon Ward and individuals in crisis accommodation as well
as meeting the menstrual care and hygiene needs of 548 individuals as part of the December hamper
project with Larne Foodbank.
CONCLUSIONS
We move forward into the new year hopeful that the Period Product Free Provision legislation will
eventually reduce our need to exist in a product provision capacity. We also hope our partnership with
Hey Girls will greatly reduce the volume of single use plastic period products we distribute.
Although I wish our organisation did not need to exist l am incredibly proud of the impact we have
made. Not having overhead costs for storage, office space, amenities etc allows us to maximise the
impact every penny has on practical supports to alleviating hygiene poverty and menstrual inequity.
Currently the level of need greatly outweighs the volume of public item donations received by Equality
Period via The Hygiene Bank Larne. We are exceptionally thankful to all our funders and any monies
donated directly to us by the public. The relationships we have built with brands and suppliers since
we began this project, as well as our link with In Kind Direct allowed us to turn a £50 donation for

December's hampers into 170 essential hygiene products that could be spread across up to ninety
households. Purchasing the same quantity of identical brand items from retailer would have cost
us an eyewatering £420; it would also have directly contributed to the issue of hygiene poverty by
reducing the availability of essential hygiene products in stores.
We are aware of recent project duplication in the Larne area however, we have not seen this
translate into any reduction in need from our community partners, as such our efforts to tackle
menstrual inequity and hygiene poverty will continue.
As co-founder and chairperson I would like to extend my gratitude and thanks you to Colleen,
Shannon and Tracy for their roles as volunteers and trustees. This team and the work we do means
so much to our community partners and those in need. You are the backbone of this organisation
and without your time and commitment there would be no Equality Period - never underestimate
the difference you are making.
This report was approved on behalf of the trustees at a meeting on
on it's behalf by:
and signed
Mrs Suzanne Oag
Trustee Equality Period Limited