Free sanitary products in Renfrewshire

In November last year, MSPs unanimously approved the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill and there is now a legal duty on local authorities, like Renfrewshire Council, to ensure that free items such as tampons and sanitary pads are available to anyone who would need them.

Free period products are available through several channels throughout Renfrewshire and the information for where you can pick them up is listed below.

However, given the current restrictions and closures caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), the best way to obtain period products, at this time, is either online or by phone call.

Natalie Don, who is SNP candidate for Renfrewshire North & West and current Councillor for Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank, told Renfrewshire News: “Basic sanitary provision is a right and it is unacceptable that anyone should suffer the embarrassment and distress caused by period poverty. I am proud that here in Renfrewshire, sanitary products are available freely to anyone who needs them.

“Under normal circumstances, sanitary products are freely available across our schools. Renfrewshire Leisure community halls and venues and various community organisations however, due to current Covid-19 guidelines and closures, residents in Renfrewshire can order free sanitary products from Renfrewshire Council either online or over the phone.

“I would encourage anyone who needs to, to use this service. Don’t be embarrassed. These products are there for those that need them and I wouldn’t want anyone having to sacrifice other essential items for sanitary products when they are freely available.“

The easiest way is to fill in a form on the Council website here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PMGZ5HD. Once complete, a 3-month supply of products will be posted to your home address. This can take up to 2 weeks to arrive, so please be aware of this when you order and try to order in advance if you can.

You can also call 0300 300 0230 and let them know you need to order period products. They will take your name, address and number and call you back within 24 hours for details of your order. This will then be delivered to you within 48 hours.

Free period products are also available from some community groups and public venues. Again, however, given current coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, some of these places may not currently be open or operating as normal, so access to supplies may also be restricted.

If you can access one of the venues, the products are available in toilets and accessible toilets in each of the venues listed below.

Venue Address
Renfrew Town Hall Renfrew Cross, Renfrew, PA4 8PF
Johnstone Town Hall 25 Church St, Johnstone PA5 8EG
Tweedie Hall & Linwood Library Ardlamont Square, Bridge Street, Linwood, PA3 3DB
Paisley Arts Centre 15 New St, Paisley PA1 1EZ
Bishopton Community Library 11 Greenock Road, Bishopton, PA7 5JW
Erskine Library Bridgewater Place, Erskine, PA8 7AA
Ferguslie Park Community Library Tannahill Centre, Blackstoun Road, Paisley, PA3 1NT
Glenburn Community Centre & Library Fairway Avenue, Paisley, PA2 8DX
Lochwinnoch Community Library Old School, High Street, Lochwinnoch, PA12 4AB
Ralston Community Centre & Library Allanton Avenue, Paisley, PA1 3BL
Renfrew Library Paisley Road, Renfrew, PA4 8LJ
Cargill Hall & Library Lintwhite Crescent, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3LJ
Foxbar Community Centre & Library Ivanhoe Road, Paisley, PA2 0JX
Ferguslie Park Sports Hub & Playing Fields Blackstoun Road, Paisley, PA3 1EX
Ralston Community Sports Hub & Playing Fields Penilee Road,Paisley, PA1 3AX
Lagoon Leisure Centre Christie St, Paisley, PA1 1NB
ON-X Leisure Centre Brediland Rd, Linwood, PA3 3RA
Johnstone Sports Centre Beith Rd, Johnstone, PA5 0JA
Renfrew Sports Centre Paisley Rd, Renfrew, PA4 8JL
Renfrew Victory Baths Inchinnan Rd, Renfrew, PA4 8ND
Erskine Sports Centre Kilpatrick Dr, Erskine, PA8 7AF
Erskine Swimming Pool Bridgewater Centre, Erskine, PA8 7AA
Robertson Centre (1st floor only) 16 Glasgow Rd, Paisley PA1 3QF
Seedhill Sports Centre Seedhill Road, Paisley, PA1 1QR
Renfrewshire House (Atrium) Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN
Community organisations

Products are available from the following community organisations, although some may only be able to supply current service users. Please call ahead to enquire about period products if possible.

Community Organisation Address & Contact Info
Active Communities 16 Quarry St, Johnstone, PA5 8DZ
Open Mon – Thur, 10am – 2pm. During Coronavirus restrictions call 01505 228643 or text 07385744665 to arrange a pick up time.

Kairos 8 Quarry St, Johnstone, PA5 8DZ
For service users only at present.

Paisley YMCA Makerspace 14 William Street, Paisley, PA1 2LZ
Open Mon – Fri, 5pm – 8pm. During Coronavirus restrictions call 0141 471 4404 in advance.

RAMH Restore 24 Causeyside Street, Paisley, PA1 1UN
Open Fri & Sat, 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm.

Remode 43b High Street, Paisley, PA1 2AH
Open Tue – Sat, 10am – 4pm

Renfrewshire Citizen’s Advice Bureau 7 Glasgow Road, Paisley, PA1 3QS
Open Mon – Thurs, 10am – 4pm

Renfrew YMCA For service users only at present.
Russell Institute 30 Causeyside Street, Paisley, PA1 1UN
For service users only at present.

STAR Project 12 – 14 Wallace Street, PA3 2BU
Call 0141 889 5850 to arrange a pick up time.

If you are a community organisation and want to be involved, please contact diane.dunn@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

(Originally published by Renfrewshire News)

MSP candidate Natalie Don is calling for residents around Renfrewshire to bin their used face masks.

Wearing face masks in Renfrewshire is advised while you shop, use a variety of services, in some workplaces and when travelling on public transport. This is of course all in an effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus around our local community.

This has meant that the uptake in people wearing face masks has increased significantly over recent months. Many people have chosen to invest in reusable face masks however a large proportion of people are still opting for single use disposable face masks. 

Councillor Don is urging Renfrewshire residents to bin their used masks or wear reusable face masks, in order to keep our streets and parks clean, cut waste and maintain public health. The Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland are highlighting reusable coverings as the preferred method of keeping people safe. 

Shop-bought and homemade face coverings, as well as other items such as snoods, can all be effectively used to slow the spread of the virus. These should be at least two layers thick and preferably three. 

Evidence suggests face coverings have particular value in crowded and less well-ventilated spaces, and where physical distancing of two metres is not possible. It is recommended that reusable face coverings are washed on the highest setting suitable for the fabric, preferably 60 degrees centigrade, after every use. Face coverings should only be hand washed if a washing machine is unavailable. For hand washing, lather face coverings for at least 20 seconds using warm to hot water before drying ideally putting in a dryer. Iron face coverings on the cotton or linen setting to kill any remaining germs.

SNP candidate for Renfrewshire North and West Natalie Don said,

“Walking around our streets it is becoming increasingly obvious that some people have developed a habit of dumping their used single-use face coverings, littering our streets. This is an extreme health hazard due to coronavirus.”

“Not only is this damaging our environment but it is leaving litter on the ground for Renfrewshire Council’s Streetscene staff and our amazing Team Up to Clean Up volunteers to pick up. This is putting those people at unnecessary risk. This is now something we have chosen to highlight as part of the Team Up campaign in an effort to make people think twice about dropping their used face masks and gloves.”

“Please, if you are using a single use face covering can you please dispose of this in your residual waste bin at home. I would emphasise that single-use face coverings do provide people with suitable protection and if this is your only option then please continue to use them however if you are able, I would urge everyone to use a reusable face covering, following Scottish Government guidance on suitable protection.”

“Having a face covering that can be used time and again uses fewer materials and is less likely to be discarded so easily. This will help keep our local areas safe and clean while protecting our environment.”

Councillor Don welcomes plans to restrict sale of Fireworks

“These new proposals to restrict the sale and use of fireworks will be welcomed by many people including myself”, said Councillor Natalie Don, SNP candidate for Renfrewshire North and West at the next Scottish Parliamentary election.

Scottish Ministers are proposing a major reduction in the quantity of fireworks that can be sold to members of the general public, with the limit for purchase for people without an explosives licence being cut from 50kg to 5kg. It is hoped the changes can come into force at the end of June this year, well ahead of the main fireworks season in November.

Gilly Mendes Ferreira, of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), welcomed the new regulations, saying they would be a “positive step, not only for animal welfare, but for those who care for or work with animals”.

She added: “Tightening the times that fireworks can be used will allow owners to prepare and put safeguarding measures in place to protect their animals against the negative effects of fireworks.”

Ash Denham MSP, Community Safety Minister, said: “The proposed changes to legislation I have put before Parliament mark an important milestone in our journey towards a significant shift in our relationship with fireworks.”

More than 16,400 people responded to a Scottish Government consultation on the issue in 2019, with the minister adding the results of this showed “strong public support for changing how fireworks are sold and used in Scotland”.

Councillor Natalie Don added: “Recently Renfrewshire Councillors backed a proposal seeking a review of existing legislation surround the sale and use of fireworks, so I welcome this move by the Scottish Government.

“It’s not just animals and their owners who are affected by fireworks, more and more complaints have indicated the impact these explosions have on vulnerable people, especially those with PTSD who have served in the armed forces.

“The cancellation of all official fireworks events due to Covid has raised concerns that the public had bought more fireworks than usual, and this could have resulted in more injuries.  It really is time for tighter restrictions for the sake of public safety.”

The new regulations would mean the public could only set off fireworks between 6pm and 11pm, with the exception of November 5, when they could be used between 6pm and midnight, and New Year’s Eve, the night of Chinese New Year, and the night of Diwali, when they could be used between 6pm and 1am.  It is also planned to limit the time of day when people can buy fireworks to between 7am and 6pm.

SNP Candidate for Renfrewshire North & West, Natalie Don highlights concern to cut Universal Credit

“This latest comment from a former Tory Government adviser highlights the scandal of child poverty across the UK”, said Councillor Natalie Don (SNP candidate for Renfrewshire North & West) commenting on new research showing that 1.3 million children under five are now living in poverty in the UK.

Following new research showing 1.3 million children under five are now living in poverty in the UK and stark warnings from a welfare expert, the SNP has repeated calls for the UK government to make the Universal Credit uplift permanent and extend it to legacy benefits.

Dame Louise Casey, a former homelessness adviser to the UK government, has again warned the Tory government against its plans to cut Universal Credit in April after research from Little Village and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation revealed 34% of families with children under five live below the poverty line. Two in five of these families have seen a reduction in their earnings as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

The former UK government adviser said that maintaining the £20 increase is “the least we could do” and not doing so would be “unthinkable”. She added that with regards to poverty, “the numbers are just too big to ignore” and the UK government must “thing big and think long” to properly tackle the growing issue.

The SNP has repeatedly called on the UK government to go beyond increasing Universal Credit and other legacy benefits and strengthen all welfare protections after the Tories spent a decade dismantling the social security net - including matching the Scottish Child Payment, which has been hailed as "game-changing" in tackling child poverty in Scotland.

Councillor Natalie Don added:

"If the UK government won't listen to the SNP and the countless anti-poverty campaigners then it must listen to its own former adviser – who has said scrapping the Universal Credit uplift in the middle of a global health pandemic and economic crisis is “unthinkable.”

“The Tory government must make the Universal Credit uplift permanent and roll it out to legacy benefits, if we are to protect the incomes of six million people in the middle of an economic crisis and global pandemic.

“As Dame Louise Casey rightly says, it will take more than maintaining and extending the uplift to fix the damage done to millions of families but it would be a start. Beyond this the UK government must strengthen welfare protections across the board and rebuild the social security net it spent years dismantling with its austerity agenda - including bringing in an equivalent to the Scottish Child Payment.

"However, SNP calls for UK ministers to do this have repeatedly been ignored – we still have the cruel two-child cap, benefit cap and one of the lowest levels of Sick Pay in Europe. Scotland shouldn't have to wait for Westminster to act. Westminster’s repeated failures have proven that the only way to secure a strong, fair and equal recovery is for Scotland to become an independent country – with the full powers needed to build a fairer society."

Natalie Don: Scotland Are Leading The Way On Fairtrade

Scotland has the highest percentage of council areas which are recognised as fair trade areas compared with the rest of the UK, according to new statistics. Fairtrade UK has revealed that 21 of Scotland’s 32 council areas (65%) are fair-trade areas compared with just 33% of councils in England and 41% in Wales.

Endorsing fair trade products and practices means farmers in developing countries get a fair price for their products and are not exploited. Fair trade means farmers in industries like coffee and cocoa can earn a fair living to put food on their tables. One Scottish council placing great importance on this is Renfrewshire Council, which has its own Fair Trade Steering Group.

Commenting, SNP councillor Natalie Don and candidate for Renfrewshire North and West said:

“Fair trade is vital in ensuring farmers in the developing world get an acceptable price for their goods and are not exploited for cheap labour.

“It’s great news that Scotland is leading the way in recognising the benefits of being a fair trade area.

“Shoppers may not see the impact of fair trade when they buy a coffee or fruit, but you will know that making that choice is helping some of the poorest people across the world to make a living and have control of their lives.

“In Renfrewshire we have placed great importance on this issue. I would urge all councils in Scotland who have not already signed up to start their journey to becoming a fair trade area and make Scotland the first fully fair trade country.”

NATALIE DON CALLS FOR THE TORIES TO SCRAP THE BENEFIT CAP AS NUMBER OF FAMILIES IMPACTED BY BENEFIT CAP DOUBLES

SNP candidate for Renfrewshire North and West Natalie Don has said ‘it’s blatantly obvious’ the Tory government must urgently scrap the Benefit Cap to avoid more families and children in Renfrewshire being pushed into poverty - after stats revealed that the number of households hit by the ‘cruel’ policy has shot up. New figures revealed that the number of Scottish households affected by the Benefit Cap has nearly doubled during the pandemic, from around 3,300 in January to around 6,400 in August.

The stats show that during this time the average amount lost due to the Benefit Cap was around £50 per week, or £2,600 per year. A large majority (97%) of these households contain children, while just over 66% were lone parent families. There were no couples without children who were affected by the Benefit Cap.

Cllr Natalie Don said:

“It’s blatantly obvious that the Tories must scrap this cruel policy that is harming people and families across Scotland. The SNP have continually opposed their disgraceful record on poverty while out of touch politicians in London continue plunging vulnerable people into debt, hardship and hopelessness.”

Boris Johnson and his Tory chums are happy to stick their heads in the sand and ignore the criticism of their shameful record on poverty, which has been condemned by the United Nations, countless poverty charities and experts across the world.

These latest figures are grim and show that the number of people impacted by the Benefit Cap has essentially doubled during the pandemic. If the Tories were really serious about improving people's lives they would scrap this harmful policy now, to avoid plunging more families and children into poverty through the Covid-19 crisis.

“The Scottish Government continue to mitigate the worst of these callous Tories policies but it shouldn’t be left to them to pick up the pieces all the time. We could do so much more to tackle poverty and inequality if Scotland had the full powers of independence."

Natalie Don: Scotland Can Lead The Way In Video Games Improving Our Mental Health

A recent study by Oxford University showed that video games can have a positive impact on our mental health. SNP candidate for Renfrewshire North and West Natalie Don is urging the Scottish Government to look into and support further studies that show video games can have a positive impact on our mental health. The study, which focused on players of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing, as well as EA’s Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, found that people who played more regularly reported greater wellbeing than those who played less.

The Oxford University team was able to link up psychological questionnaires with true records of time spent playing games. Previous studies carried out had tended to focus on self-reported time playing, which is weakly correlated with reality. The findings of this study contrast with the advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that have classed ‘gaming disorder’ as a mental illness. A diagnosis of gaming disorder is deemed appropriate for a person who, over a period of at least 12 months, lacks control over their gaming habits, prioritizes gaming over other interests and activities, and continues gaming despite its negative consequences.

The UK Government has also come under pressure in recent years to have stricter regulations on the gaming industry in the UK. Concerns over gaming disorder, the excessive violence and sexual content in games and the relationship video games have with gambling through such means as in game currencies, loot boxes and pay to win games.

Cllr Natalie Don, a self proclaimed avid gamer herself, is standing for Holyrood at this year's Scottish Parliament election. Cllr Don is calling for more work to be done here in Scotland, not on the negatives but on the positive impacts that video games can have for your mental health and well-being.

Cllr Don said

“I was pleased to see the findings of this study, as an avid gamer myself I know first hand the positive impacts that video games have had on my own mental well being. The immersion and escapism that you can feel from tuning into your favourite game cannot be replaced and is a mental lifeline for many people. I enjoy playing video games and if done appropriately is no different to reading a book for enjoyment.”

3 billion people on the planet play video games. Many people will have been playing more than usual due to the pandemic. The video games industry has never been bigger and it’s important that if we are regulating it that we work with actual gamers to get it right and that we also look at the positives and don’t just focus on the negatives of playing the computer.

Scotland has a brilliant gaming industry of our own, famously working on the Grand Theft Auto games. Employment in the Scottish video games industry grew by more than 17% between November 2018 and April 2020. Gaming is huge in Scotland and the more the industry grows the more opportunities that will become available for graduates wanting to get involved.

“The Scottish Government has done and continues to do incredible trailblazing work on mental health here in Scotland. The pandemic has made clear the importance of looking after ourselves, and of keeping well. If we can look at ways in which we can improve people’s mental health through video games and the positives that come from it then we absolutely should. I believe this is an issue that Scotland could really lead the way forward in exploring. “