Free sanitary products are available at a clutch of venues across the borough.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Great Yarmouth Borough Council is keen to raise awareness of the Tricky Period initiative which is tackling period poverty Picture: GYBCGreat Yarmouth Borough Council is keen to raise awareness of the Tricky Period initiative which is tackling period poverty Picture: GYBC (Image: GYBC)

The initiative aims to help women and girls who struggle to afford tampons and pads.

In some cases 'period poverty' means girls are missing school because they haven't got any sanitary products.

The borough council-lead project, part of the Tricky Period initiative, started in Great Yarmouth in March, with nine partners signing up as places where free products are available.

Under the scheme people can collect a month's worth of items on presentation of a voucher, available at multiple venues.

There are no qualifying criteria or questions asked and the offer is open to girls and women of all ages. No parental consent is required.

Vouchers can be picked up at any venue and swapped for sanitary items at any collection point.

Collection points for vouchers and free products are:

- Great Yarmouth Library, Tolhouse Street

- Salvation Army, Tolhouse Street

- DIAL, Kingside, 26 King Street, Great Yarmouth

- MAP, 52a Deneside, Great Yarmouth

- MESH, Magdalen Way, Gorleston

- Citizens Advice Bureau, Revolutionary Roots, 2 Stonecutters Way, Great Yarmouth

- Comeunity, 135 King Street, Great Yarmouth

- Greyfriars Way, Great Yarmouth

- Great Yarmouth Minster, Church Plain

In December the full council said it would set aside £5,000 a year for sanitary products.Other sources donating free products are In Kind Direct and Tesco.

The system of numbered vouchers is aimed at tracking demand.

Great Yarmouth library started offering the product in May last year as part of the Tricky Period initiative.

Papers being presented to the borough council's housing and neighbourhood's committee on Thursday (June 20) say that while no information is being recorded about the women receiving products, agencies will "keep an eye on" regular visitors in case they need other support.

Posters are being put up around Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, in ladies toilets, and sent to all schools.

Some will be in Portuguese.

Feedback has been positive so far, the report states.

A motion put forward in October stated: "Having a period is a completely natural process that shouldn't be a source of awkwardness for anyone in today's society.

"Women and girls do not choose to have a period, it is not a luxury but comes as an expensive monthly cost."