Bolton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers in the Community are pleased to announce that free period products will now be offered at the University of Bolton Stadium.
Working in partnership with Citron Hygiene, pads and tampons will be available from newly-installed dispenser machines in every female and accessible toilet in the stadium concourses. The hope is that the initiative will reassure female fans that period products are freely available on site, should they require them, and thus remove any potential barriers preventing women from attending fixtures.
The club have opted for plastic-free Aunt Flow period products, made from 100% organic cotton (no synthetics, chemicals or dyes) and designed to use minimum packaging.
Phil Mason, Chief Executive Officer of Bolton Wanderers in the Community said: “We want our stadium to be an open and welcoming place for our female fans and our aim is to break down any barriers that may prevent them from attending games at Bolton Wanderers.
“As the club’s official charity, it is also our mission to create a Bolton free from disadvantage and we are all too aware that period poverty – the struggle to afford period products – is an issue for many in our community and we want to play our part in tackling that inequality.
“We hope the installation of the machines in our concourses is a welcome addition to the University of Bolton Stadium and another way we can encourage more female fans into the stadium. In the coming weeks, we will also be making the products available in all hospitality areas and in our staff toilets.”
The period product initiative launches the weekend that the club will also celebrating the Her Game Too campaign, a female fan-led movement that aims to foster an ethos of respect and inclusivity for women across the game.
The vending machines were installed by Ben Godridge of Citron Hygiene. The club are proud that Ben is a former Bolton Wanderers in the Community participant and a lifelong Bolton Wanderers fan.
Fans will find the dispensers attached to walls in the female toilets in the stadium concourses. Simply push the buttons labelled ‘Pad’ or ‘Tampon’ at the base of the machines to dispense a product, free of charge.