A world-first app tackling the problem of period poverty has received national recognition after winning at this year’s UK Social Enterprise Awards.
Leading social enterprise Hey Girls won the Tech for Good Award on December 8 for its PickupMyPeriod app, built with support from the Scottish Government and developers Pogo Studio.
The app directs users to the nearest locations supplying free period products in a bid to help combat the rising issue of period poverty.
Hannah Cooke, Hey Girls’ National Free Period Products Provision and Donations Coordinator, collected the award.
She said: “We are thrilled to have received such a prestigious award for our app, highlighting the important service it provides.
“Scotland made history this year by becoming the world’s only country to make the access to free period products a legal right – so it is amazing for us to have offered a world-first app to go with it.
“It is a great feeling to receive national recognition, although the true pleasure for us is knowing that we are helping the almost 25% of people who have struggled to afford period products in the last year.”
Hey Girls were also among the finalists in the UK Social Enterprise of the Year category, while its founder and CEO Celia Hodson was shortlisted for Social Enterprise Women’s Champion.
The free app has already been downloaded 12,000 times on iOS and Android, while an interactive website map has also been built for computer users.
More than 1,500 locations in Scotland are highlighted through the app, with users able to filter female, male, gender neutral and disabled facilities.
Locations include public buildings such as libraries, sports centres, police stations and health centres.
Users can also filter locations depending on their choice of period product, including pads, tampons and reusables.
Plans are underway for the app to expand further into the UK, although its successes would depend on more businesses joining the fight to end period poverty – and governments following in Scotland’s footsteps and making access to free period products a legal right.
Celia added: “We want the UK to be rid of period poverty for good – and a huge part of that is through communication, letting people know where they can access the free products available to them.
“Eventually we would love to see free locations across the UK highlighted on the map, but for now our focus is on influencing lawmakers across the wider country to do what is right.
“The battle against period poverty is a fight that involves us all, and we need everyone onside to be victorious.”
More information on the app and how to test the period friendliness of your business can be found at www.myperiod.org.uk.
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