How Brook is Supporting Period Dignity in Wales

May 28th marks Menstrual Hygiene Day, a global movement aiming to break the silence and stigma surrounding periods. Brook is proud to be playing our part in this, especially through our Period Dignity work in Wales, as Education and Wellbeing Specialist Harriet Heath explains. 

Conversations about periods can invoke fear and embarrassment, with many young people saying they avoid activities like swimming, steer clear of wearing white, and feel pressure to hide their period products to avoid teasing or negative reactions.  

What is Period Dignity? 

Led by Welsh Government, the Period Dignity initiative is built on a simple but powerful truth: periods are natural, normal, and not a choice. No one should face disadvantage because they menstruate, yet this is still a reality for many people in Wales, especially those from marginalised or low-income communities.

Period Dignity also challenges the outdated idea that periods are just a ‘women’s issue’. Trans men and non-binary people with uteruses may also have periods and everyone, regardless of whether they have periods themselves, has a role to play in creating a more understanding and inclusive society. 

At its core, the movement is about breaking taboos, sharing knowledge, and ensuring everyone has access to the products and support they need. 

How is Brook supporting this in Wales? 

At Brook, we’re working in over half of the Local Authorities across Wales to support the goals of Period Dignity through inclusive, engaging, and age-appropriate education. Here’s how we’re making a difference: 

• Workshops in schools: We deliver sessions to young people in both primary and secondary schools, covering everything from puberty to periods to wider conversations about stigma and respect. These sessions help normalise periods and provide practical, relevant information in a safe and supportive environment. 
• Training for professionals: We equip teachers, youth workers, and other professionals with the knowledge and confidence they need to talk openly about periods. Our training covers top teaching tips, how to handle difficult or sensitive questions, and how to create inclusive learning environments. 
• Supporting parents and carers: We know that conversations at home are just as important as those in the classroom. That’s why we work with parents and carers, including new work specifically aimed at dads, to help them feel prepared and empowered to talk about periods with their children. 

What’s it like working on the initiative?

As an Education and Wellbeing Specialist based in Wales, a lot of my work focuses on supporting the Period Dignity initiative and has allowed me to have plenty of important conversations with young people across the country.  

As someone who grew up in a busy city, I’ve learnt an awful lot about how periods and menstruation are talked about and understood by the children I’ve worked with in rural West Walian communities, alongside larger schools in the nation’s capital. For some of these children, I was the first person they’d ever spoken to about the changes that might happen to their bodies, and what happens when someone has a period – and I’m grateful to have been given the space to answer their questions, bust some myths, and calm some nerves.  

Working with young people in primary settings in particular has been eye-opening as it’s allowed me to see how our society can impact the way they view menstruation – one girl in a Year 5 class was convinced her period would be blue, due to the blue liquid used on adverts for disposable pads. I was really surprised to be asked something like this: sometimes you can use a little bit of guesswork to figure out what young people might want to know or ask about periods, but I never thought I’d be asked that! After some good honest conversations with the student, she was feeling a lot more comfortable in what to expect, and I felt both happy and grateful that I had the opportunity to have that conversation with her.  

What’s so important to make clear is that no question is a silly question.

I know if I was 10 years old again, I’d hate to be made to feel like I’d asked something that was wrong or inappropriate. As part of my mission for friendly and open period education, this encourages me all the more to create a space in which my young people feel safe and respected, and that my time is theirs, for their benefit. 

What are we hoping to achieve? 

Through all this work, our goal is clear: a Wales where periods are fully understood, accepted and normalised. We want every young person to feel confident in their body, equipped with the information they need, and never ashamed or excluded because of something as natural as menstruation. 

Talking about issues such as period stigma can also help young people to feel more confident discussing periods by normalising the topic and reducing the shame or embarrassment often associated with it. When stigma is addressed directly in a friendly, open, and non-judgemental space, it creates opportunities for honest conversations where young people can learn accurate information, ask questions without fear of judgment, and realise they’re not alone in their experiences. This boosts confidence because it validates their feelings, challenges harmful myths, and reinforces that periods are a natural, healthy part of life. 

Menstrual Hygiene Day is a timely reminder that whilst we’ve come a long way, there’s still work to be done.

By continuing to challenge stigma, open up conversations, and provide practical support, we can build a more period-friendly Wales, and period-friendly world, for everyone.