One year on: hey girls & Nourishing Norfolk
One Year On: Reflecting on Our Partnership with hey girls
At Norfolk Community Foundation, we’ve always believed that when we come together with like-minded organisations, we can help tackle challenges facing our Norfolk communities. This belief has been affirmed through our partnership with Hey Girls, a community-interest company dedicated to ending period poverty. As we celebrate one year of collaboration, we reflect on the impact we’ve made together, the lives we’ve touched, and the exciting road ahead.
The Value of Partnership
When Tori and Corrie from our team visited the hey girls warehouse in Diss recently, it was a moment to celebrate growth—both in terms of the impact of our partnership together, but also their physical space. Their base has now doubled in size, with the expansion allowing them to manage donations and distribute products more efficiently, ensuring they reach those who need them most nationwide.
Tori, our Food Strategy Development Manager, reflected on the visit:
“It’s incredible to see how far this partnership has come in just a year. Working with Hey Girls means we can reach families and individuals who might otherwise go without, and together, we’re removing barriers to access. We’re proud to be walking alongside hey girls as they shape the national dialogue, too.”
While hey girls are based in Norfolk and support people here – an admirable achievement in itself- their impact has a ripple effect on the national stage. We are proud to be collaborating with an organisation that is developing the very best, cutting-edge period products that are good for our bodies and our planet and raising the profile of period poverty across communities.
Breaking Down Barriers
When we launched our partnership last year, the goal was clear: to provide barrier-free access to period products through our Nourishing Norfolk programme. From our work with Nourishing Norfolk, we know that smashing stigma and breaking down barriers begins with being welcoming, honest and having open conversations. Over the past year, this has become a reality. By distributing both disposable and reusable products across our food hubs, we’re offering individuals and families the dignity of choice—a crucial aspect of tackling period poverty.
Jayne, from the Food Cabin in Dereham, shared a powerful story that reminds us why this work is so important:
“We have had some wonderful feedback on the Hey Girls products. It’s been life-changing for one young mum. Having to choose between feeding her little one and buying period products, she found herself using a flannel as a sanitary towel. We gave her reusable pads and panty liners, and she told us, ‘I’m so much more confident. I feel I have been empowered and have my life back!’”
Stories like this demonstrate the profound impact access to period products can have on those struggling to make ends meet. They’re not just essentials; they’re lifelines to dignity, confidence, and opportunity. Because food hubs build trust, they open the door to having discussions around period poverty and help break down the stigma around periods.
Corrie, one of our Programmes Advisors, added:
“What makes this partnership so meaningful is how aligned our missions are. We’re not just distributing products; we’re empowering communities, offering choice, and ensuring everyone can access the essentials they need to thrive.”
Supporting the Nourishing Norfolk Network
For Nourishing Norfolk, the partnership has become a key aspect of our mission to address the wider impacts of food insecurity. By integrating period products into our food hubs via a dual-approach, using both our central distribution hub powered by Norse Group and connecting hubs with the hey girls-supported PickUpMyPeriod app, we’ve helped make it easier for people to find and access the period products they need.
Tori, from Norfolk Community Foundation, highlighted the importance of this collaboration:
“This partnership is about more than just products—it’s about creating a community safety net. By working together, we’re helping people navigate tough times with dignity and support. The addition of period products to our hubs is a natural extension of our commitment to tackling inequality across Norfolk.”
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on the past year, we’re proud to look back on the impact we’ve achieved together. But we’re not done yet. With hey girls by our side, we’re excited to deepen this collaboration, innovate new ways to reach people in need, and continue advocating for a world where no one has to choose between feeding their family and managing their period.
The award-winning free period product locator app is delivered by local charity My Period, the charitable arm of hey girls. Download their PickUpMyPeriod app to find free period products near you in Norfolk and across the UK. Free to download from App Store/Google Play. Or view via www.myperiod.org.uk
[Published 02.12.2024]
