In need of menstrual products? There's a little library for that in London

When Londoner Stevie Brocksom came across an abandoned lending library, they had a vision in mind. 

It just took some paint, glue and new lettering, but the refurbished wooden box now sits on Shelborne Place in London's Pond Mills neighbourhood. But instead of books — its filled with tampons, pads and some pregnancy tests — free for the taking for those who need them. 

"I wasn't expecting it to be become so popular overnight," Brocksom said, who founded the Period Equity Project London last year.

"It's been up for less than 24 hours and I've had to refill it twice," they said. "Anybody can help themselves whenever they need them."

The tampon library is part of Brocksom's larger efforts to reduce barriers to menstrual products through the Period Equity Project London, run entirely on community donations. They've recruited a team of mostly LGBTQIA+ volunteers across the city and in neighbouring communities who give out supplies when people get in touch through their Facebook group.

"We just make sure that everyone has access to menstrual products that needs them right now. With the inflation of groceries, we want to make sure that nobody is prioritizing menstrual products over food," said Brocksom.

"If your bill is over what your budget is on the grocery cart. You want to make sure your kids get food, you want to make sure that you're feeding your family, and you know tampons aren't really high up on the list," they said. 

"There's no questions asked. We don't care what your income is," said Brocksom. "If you need tampons, we just match them up with the closest volunteer in the city and they can go and pick them up anytime."

While sanitary products can be accessed at some food banks, this fills the gap for people who might fall above the low-income cutoff but are still struggling right now, they said.

It's a need Joan McDonald, who now volunteers with the project, has experienced first hand. 

"Menstruation products are just ridiculously expensive and they shouldn't be," she said. 

McDonald was hesitant to reach out at first, but got in touch when she saw they were giving away reusable menstrual cups. Running upwards of $30, the cups were out of her price range, she said. "They set me up with a volunteer to pick up, and it's been phenomenal."

Now, she's been volunteering for about two months to get menstrual products to others who need them in her Huron Heights neighbourhood.

The project is aiming to switch to reusable products, so the need for disposable tampons and pads will decrease over time, Brocksom said.