Share the Dignity is calling on the community to do its part in providing sanitary products to women in need

Last year’s campaign received more than 16,000 donations from Ipswich locals

THE fight to end period poverty across Queensland is set to continue, with the renewed backing of one of Ipswich’s largest retail chains.

Share the Dignity, a charity which provides sanitary products to females in need, this week announced it had partnered with Booval Fair Shopping Centre for its fourth consecutive year.

It comes as part of the organisation’s March Dignity Donation Drive, in which 20 donation points are to be established at Retail First shopping centres across south east Queensland.

The organisation is now calling upon the Ipswich community to do its part, by providing tampons, pads, liners, period underwear, menstrual cups, and incontinence products.

A donation point was this week erected outside of Woolworths at Booval Fair.

BACK AGAIN: Share the Dignity charity founder Rochelle Courtenay. Pic: Bradley Cooper

The initiative’s return comes off the back of last year’s hugely successful campaign which resulted in the donation of more than 16,000 products.

Share the Dignity founder Rochelle Courtenay said the drive would help to alleviate the challenges faced by women and teenage girls across the country.

“So many women every month have to forfeit period products because they cannot afford them,” she said.

LOCAL NEWS: Puppy dies after litter dumped under bridge

“Many mothers must choose between buying tampons and feeding their children.

She said many girls also missed out on school because families could not afford to buy products.

“When (females) cannot have access to the essential period products, they become extremely resourceful … by using wadded up newspaper, or toilet paper, or socks.

“This should not be happening.”

PERIOD PAIN: Countless women go without basic sanitary items due to period poverty. Pic: file photo

Ms Courtenay said she was thrilled to have partnered Retail First shopping once more.

“The more awareness and opportunities for consumers to donate, the more charity requests we can meet and therefore more women and girls we are able to assist,” she said.

She said the centre’s “fabulous Pink collection boxes” were hard to miss.

Retail First head of marketing Bec Gascoigne welcomed the partnership, saying it was a “wonderful way” for local shoppers to females in need.

“Rochelle’s stories about women and girls in crisis touched our hearts and we shed tears hearing of young girls not going to school while they have their period,” she said.

“We knew we had to continue to be involved in this very worthy donation drive.”

To find your nearest donation point, visit: www.retailfirst.com.au

Read more stories by Kaitlyn Smith here.

Originally published as Share the Dignity is calling on the community to do its part in providing sanitary products to women in need