My journey into tackling period poverty began when I was just 17. I was on the train one day when I saw an advert featuring a young girl from Namibia who had no access to period products. The poster said she was forced to use newspapers she found on the ground as a substitute. I remember being completely shocked. It hit me that something I had always taken for granted—something as basic and essential as a sanitary pad—was a luxury to others. In that moment, I realised how privileged I was to buy period pads whenever necessary without a second thought.

Not long after, while in sixth form at City of London Academy, I spoke to a senior staff member who confided in me that some of the students in our own school were also struggling to access period products. It was her responsibility to help these young people navigate such deeply personal and challenging experiences. I couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t just something happening far away—it was right here, in my community, in my school.

These two moments shaped the foundation of BleedWell. They opened my eyes and lit a fire in me to ensure that no woman or girl ever has to suffer in silence or shame because she can’t afford basic menstrual products. Period dignity is not a luxury—it’s a right.