Hundreds of bags have been made to help support women in Africa who are dealing with period poverty.
Sewing machines whirred on Saturday 31st May as people gathered in Dilton Marsh Memorial Hall to support the Pachamama Project.
The charity was founded by Ella Lambert in 2020, when the Bristol University student heard about period poverty and spent her lockdown learning to sew. She has since mobilised thousands of volunteers across the country to make pads with her – including in Dilton Marsh, where sewing days to support the project take place regularly.
Speaking at the event, organiser Lynne Vercoe said, “It’s been a great turnout. There’s always great camaraderie, chat and laughter – not to mention great cakes.
“Today has been a bit different for us, as instead of focusing on pads we’ve been making bags which women can put their sanitary pads inside.
“In the past, most of us will each produce at least eight pads during the course of a session, which means we help, at the very least, one woman come out of period poverty. Plenty of women make them at home as well – today Fiona dropped off 50 she has recently made!”
In total, on the day, the group helped create 260 bags.
For those in attendance on Saturday, many described the sewing day sessions as relaxing and praised the community spirit at each event. Trina Murphy, who lives in Dilton Marsh, said, “It can be very therapeutic – sewing takes your mind off things.”
Meanwhile, Evie Moore said it was ‘very fun’ to help out. The eight-year-old has been nominated for an award at the Westbury Young People Awards at Matravers School on 18th June, as a result of her commitment to the Pachamama Project.
Evie’s mum Stacey said, “The first time she came, she was moving pads between the stations and counting how many we’d done. She now does some of the pinning and helps tidy up – she really enjoys it. She’s gone back to school and told her classmates all about the Pachamama Project as well.”
The 260 bags created on 31st May will be combined with 714 pads and 300 additional bags recently made, and sent to the Essex-based Pachamama Project. The period products will go on to support women in countries such as Lebanon, Pakistan and Uganda.
