The Tampon Tax Community Fund: Behind the numbers

Today community foundations across the country are sharing the stories of the thousands of groups that will receive money from the Tampon Tax Community Fund. This supports projects working with the UK’s most vulnerable women and girls.

In total 388 groups across the country will share in £3.4 million. Behind the numbers lie the very real human stories of women’s lives being changed through the work of grassroots community groups. From Sunderland to Southampton, from Birmingham to Barrow-in-Furness, women up and down the UK facing a multitude of issues will benefit from the programme.

To mark the announcement, we’re going to hear from some of the women who have been on the receiving end of the amazing support that grassroots groups give in our communities through the Tampon Tax Community Fund.

Here’s some of what’s been funded:

The West Chadsmoor Family Centre in Staffordshire helps mothers struggling with post-natal depression, loneliness, depression and anxiety by providing a creche allowing them to gain new skills and build their confidence. One parent said:

The project has been very valuable to my wellbeing I have now got so much confidence and my anxiety levels have dropped to a point where I rarely feel anxious anymore.

Milan is a project that works with young Muslim girls in Surrey to build confidence in a safe and friendly environment. Zaynah, a regular at the project said:

Fridays are special – I look forward to all the activities and discussions. I feel as if I have lost my shyness of speaking and expressing my own opinion. We talk about our lives, school, our aspirations and about what is happening in the world.

In London the Bike Project take second-hand bikes, fix them up and donates them to refugees and asylum seekers. It runs a project called Pedal Power that helps refugee women build up the confidence to take to London’s roads. One project participant said:

I am proud to be one of the African women refugees who can now cycle freely in London city. This is a dream come true. I used to look at cyclists on the roads in admiration wondering how they managed it. Thanks to Pedal Power I am now one of them.

In Gateshead the Empower Programme helps women who’ve been the victims of domestic abuse through one-to-one sessions that educate around unhealthy relationships, encouraging participants to make friends, widen their networks and see a future beyond the trauma they’ve been through. Project participant Sara said:

My children have been through a really tough time, and I’m learning how to manage their emotions as well. I have to pick myself up to make things better for them because when I’m down and low it affects their mood.I can see that the group helped me. I’ll come out of the house now, whereas before I wouldn’t contemplate it.

We’re proud to be able to support so many fantastic groups, but know there are many that missed out on funding. Community foundations are looking at how they support this growing need through working with their donors or setting up specific women’s funds. If you’d like to find out how you could give in your area, please find your local community foundation