A UNIVERSITY in York is providing free sanitary products for its students as part of its efforts to tackle period poverty.

University of York are offering the products from dispensing machines in the Library Foyer, Spring Lane building, and the Ron Cooke Hub throughout the Spring term.

The university has previously provided free sanitary products from the student union receptions on a one-off basis, and will be trialling this new launch to assess the demand.

Patrick O'Donnell, President of the university's student union said: "I'm very grateful to the student-led Free the Flow campaign for all their work and for making the case to the university to provide free sanitary products to students.

"Their research has shown that in 2020, one in ten York students were unable to afford menstrual health products, indicating the importance of this initiative.

"I am pleased that the products we are providing are sustainable and in degradable packaging."

This trial was launched by the student-led Free the Flow campaign.

The Free the Flow campaign is a student-led project to combat and arise awareness of period poverty across the university and the wider community, due to launch in February.