Dignity drive continues

THROUGHOUT August, the community is being encouraged to donate women’s sanitary products for people in crisis.

Leader of Share the Dignity for the Loddon Murray region Lauren Read said the organisations has received over 700 donations but are still short of their goal of 1445 for the region.

“The Bendigo community is an incredibly kind and generous one, and we are fortunate enough to receive wonderful local support during our campaigns,” she said.

“Even through pandemics and lockdowns, people are still giving, and we are so grateful for that.”

Ms Read said they are asking especially for maternity pads, essential for new mums.

“These items will go to local service providers including Sunshine Bendigo, Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative, Bendigo Family and Financial Services and the Gianna Centre who do amazing work looking after vulnerable young families in our community,” she said.

Share the Dignity is a national charity and Ms Read said Bendigo contributions during the dignity drives are always high.

A recent survey was conducted by the charity to fully understand the issue of period poverty and over 125,000 responses were given.

“From the data collected, we learned that one in five people have had to improvise period products at some point, meaning they’ve had to resort to using a poor substitute, such as a sock, face washer or toilet paper, to manage their period,” Ms Read said.

“Almost 50 per cent of people have used a period product for longer than medically advised, because they couldn’t afford more products.

“This is not an issue happening somewhere else in the world. In fact, the majority of those that responded to the survey were women living in Victoria, aged between 32 to 40. This means that period poverty is a very real issue in Bendigo.”

To find a collection box, head to Woolworths stores or find boxes at Living Quarters Bendigo, The Laboratory at Bath Lane or Journey Early Learning Centre in Kangaroo Flat.