South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) staff have been on the road delivering free sanitary products to more than 30 pick-up points.

With schools now closed, SLDC has distributed supplies to every corner of the district for pupils who would usually rely on being able to pick up free pads and tampons from school.

The period poverty scheme was first introduced across South Lakeland during the early weeks of the pandemic to help students who could no longer access free products when schools closed.

Councillor Suzie Pye, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Financial Resilience, said: “We want girls and young women to be able to enjoy Christmas without the worry of struggling to afford period products. This is a problem that no family should have to face and we are making sanitary supplies freely available across the district while schools are closed for the holidays.

“Christmas is an expensive time and many families are facing financial uncertainty at the moment because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. I hope these free supplies will mean one less thing to worry about over the festive season.”

Free supplies can picked up at:

Ambleside: Parish Centre, Co-op

Bowness-on-Windermere: Co-op

Broughton-in-Furness: Newsagents

Burneside: Residents Association, St Oswald’s

Burton-in-Kendal: Burton Village Store

Cartmel: Waste Not Want Not Community Shed

Coniston: Co-op, Sports & Social Centre

Dent: Dent Stores

Flookburgh: Cockles Premier

Grange-over-Sands: Community Food Store

Grasmere: Co-op, Pharmacy

Hawkshead: Co-op

Kendal: King’s Food Bank, Sandylands Residents Association, Manna House, Outside In play centre at Beezon Road (opposite Homebase), South Lakeland House, Rinkfield Post Office, Rinkfield Residents Association, Hallgarth Residents Association, Hallgarth Post Office

Kirkby Lonsdale: Food Share

Levens: Village Shop

Milnthorpe: Spar

Sedbergh: Spar

Ulverston: Bethany Christian Church, Ulverston Food Share

Windermere: Co-op, Methodist Church/Food Bank.

The council has also replenished stocks of free copies of cookery book 'Tin Can Cook' by Jack Monroe at food banks/shares in Kendal (King’s Food Bank), Grange-over-Sands, Kirkby Lonsdale and Ulverston. The book offers 75 recipes designed for difficult times by making the most of tinned food and store-cupboard essentials.

Meanwhile, anyone who is struggling to cope with their current situation over Christmas can find a range of emergency help and support with food, basic essentials, finances and mental health in South Lakeland at www.cumbria.gov.uk/welfare/christmas.asp.

You can also call Cumbria’s support helpline on 0800 783 1966 or email COVID19support@cumbria.gov.uk and if you need help with energy bills contact South Lakes Citizens Advice on 03444 111 444.