Chessington School on Garrison Lane has received a box of sanitary products for students to use, as part of the Red Box Project.

The box, which contains donated sanitary towels, tampons, new underwear, black tights and small plastic bags, was donated earlier this month on November 8.

The goal of the Red Box Project is to ensure that no pupil in the UK has to miss lessons just because they can’t afford to purchase sanitary products.

The government charges a 5 percent tax on menstrual products such as tampons and sanitary pads, and according to the Red Box Project almost 138,000 girls in the UK missed school last year because they couldn’t afford sanitary products.

Tracy Dale, chair of Chessington Parent Teacher Association, said she asked a local volunteer from the Red Box Project, Amy Buddle, to come to the school for a meeting with the student wellbeing team, the student council and pupils.

She added: “They all openly discussed and laughed about some of their worst period mishaps and nightmares and agreed if they could stop another girl from having to go through what they had been through and miss out on any of her education, then it was definitely a project worth getting involved with.

“Amy delivered our own fully stocked Red Box which now sits in student reception. Any girl can come along and ask for the box, no questions asked, she can take whatever she needs, and doesn't miss a moment of her education.”

Red Box Project organisers rely on donations, including pads, tampons, new underwear and black tights.

Donation points have been set up at Tolworth library, Surbiton library, Hook and Chessington Library, New Malden library, Tolworth Recreation Centre and Geneva Road Day Centre.