Alliance Councillor Glenn Finlay has said that Antrim and Newtownabbey Council has shown it is a progressive council, following acceptance of his proposal that free sanitary products are provided in council buildings and leisure centres.

Councillor Finlay said: “Having worked with period poverty activist Katrina McDonnell from the Homeless Period Belfast, I was inspired to highlight the #MenstruationMatters campaign and I was pleased to get this important issue onto the council agenda.

“I feel that ANBC have shown that they are a council of progression and equality and I hope it goes some way to addressing the gender balance. If we can pay for toilet roll, hand towels and soap we can also pay for feminine sanitary products.”

“I would like to pay special tribute to senior council officers who got behind this idea when I brought it to them and the obvious passion they had to see this become reality. I hope that this will encourage other councils and employers to follow suit with this initiative.”