George started the #FreePeriods movement in 2017 aged 18 after learning that her peers were skipping school because of period poverty. Success came in a 165,000-strong petition and thousands protesting outside Downing Street, sparking a domino effect countrywide.
High street giants shouldered the VAT cost, and brands like Always and Bodyform launched campaigns to tackle the crisis.
George’s next battle for 2019 has just been announced, Together with community campaigners Red Box Project, #FreePeriods will take on Westminster in a legal battle to follow in the footsteps of Scotland, where the Holyrood government has supported the Big Issue Invest-backed Hey Girls! period poverty campaign to help 18,000 women access free products.
If George’s campaign is successful, it will see Westminster working with Red Box Project to put free period products in all schools and colleges across England. A campaign to raise £10,000 in legal fees has begun.
