Lismore has a local Shero.

She doesn't wear a cape or stealth suit, she doesn't sneak around catching baddies. She does, however, along with other local volunteers, collect and deliver hundreds of donated personal hygiene products to local charities in support of women and girls via Share the Dignity.

Share the Dignity is a national charity working to end period poverty in Australia. Their aim is to make a real, on the ground difference in the lives of those experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or doing it tough.

They believe access to period products is a right not a privilege so they deliver them to those in need through direct distribution to charities across Australia.

Twice a year, in March and August, they ask the public to donate pads, tampons, period underwear, incontinence pads, menstrual cups etc. to Dignity Drives across the country. They have collection points in all Woolworths stores and a number of other nominated businesses.

They ease the burden through two main campaigns – Dignity Drives which happens twice a year – and it's in the Bag Campaign at year end.

Local nurse and shero Lee Millward became involved when she heard about the It's in the Bag campaign last year and put the word out amongst her colleagues at the nursing home where she works.

The campaign asks people to donate items such as shampoo, conditioner, pads and tampons and put them in a bag and take them to their local Bunnings collection point to be distributed to local charities. The response from Lee's colleagues was quick and fruitful with a total of 30 bags between them.

As Lee said, “if one person can do this....?”

So she volunteered for the Dignity Drive and recruited more friends to help with the collecting process at local Woollies stores. She was also contacted by Xavier College in Ballina who donated over 800 items and filled 20 bags for charity.

“I'm really hoping to get other high schools in the area involved.”

Share the Dignity heard of Lee's momentum with the programs and contacted her.

“They said would you be interested in taking over the area and I said...yeah ok. They could see that I understood what they're trying to do.”

The exciting development this week for Lee's local sheros is the installation of a Share the Dignity Pinkbox vending machine at Lismore Library.

Lee teamed up with librarian Lucy Kinsley and now women can access free pads and tampons from the machine in the baby change room on the second floor.

The $10,000 machine is sponsored by Woollies with stock levels maintained by volunteers. The sponsorship covers manufacture, installation and 3 years of product supply. They are specially designed to dispense a box of products every 10 minutes.

“I just love this charity” said Lee. “I got to see photos of women receiving these bags and it gave me goosebumps...the look of joy on their faces.”

“I work in aged care so this gives me a different focus. I'm seeing results from the work being done, helping women and girls in this area.”

If anyone has a storage space available to store donations please make contact with Lismore App and we can send a shero to your rescue.

The Dignity Drive will begin on the 1st March 2021. Look out for the pink boxes outside Woollies.

Visit the website for info about what to donate www.sharethedignity.org.au