International Women’s Day at York Minster, will be marked by the annual Yorkits Workshop where teams of volunteers make washable, re-usable feminine hygiene kits for girls in developing countries.  The 2023 event will be held on Wednesday 8 March.

Run by Rotary York Ainsty, Yorkits is a hands-on community project bringing women and girls from York and the region together, to make feminine hygiene kits which change the lives of young girls by keeping them in education during their menstruation.

Yorkits has devised a practical, low cost, re-usable and eco-friendly solution to this problem – using brightly patterned cottons to make cleverly designed pads and covers which are then packed into attractive drawstring bags. These can be easily sewn by hand or with a sewing machine.

Each kit includes underwear, a wash cloth and two one-gallon, super-strong polythene zip-locked bags to enable items to be washed easily – particularly important in areas where clean water is scarce – plus a waterproof carry bag for soiled items. The kits are then taken by volunteers to overseas projects run by Rotary, churches and other voluntary organisations.

Yorkits Organiser Janice Lawson said: “Yorkits have been sending feminine hygiene kits to girls in developing countries for ten years now.  Each kit allows a girl to go to school when she is having her period, rather than be isolated at home, missing education and being vulnerable to abuse. A kit should last a girl for 3 years – equal to 200 days of schooling not missed.

We are pleased to be back at the Minster for the eighth time – it gives us a big boost to our kit making. We completed 70 kits at last year’s Minster event  – that’s equal to 14,000 days of schooling.”

This year’s annual Yorkits Workshop will take place on Wednesday 8 March at York Minster.  There will be two sessions: 10am until 12.30pm and 1.30 until 4pm.  All materials and equipment will be provided and refreshments will be available.

Places at the workshops are limited and free tickets need to be booked in advance. Tickets are available by calling 01904 557200 or by going to Yorkits – York Minster

Please note:  there is a suggested donation of £3.00, payable on the day, to cover the costs of materials and to help towards seed-funding community self-help groups overseas to make kits out of local materials.