WARRINGTON Wolves will provide free sanitary products for women attending games at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

The female toilets in all stands are now fitted with boxes of tampons and sanitary towels which are available to take when needed.

Many football clubs in the UK have introduced similar schemes over the past few years in an effort to tackle the stigma around periods and raise awareness of ‘period poverty’.

But the Wire are believed to be the first side in British rugby league to join the campaign.

The Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation has been the driving force behind the initiative, in partnership with Sainsbury’s on Church Street and the Lymm Rotary Club.

Young volunteers with the charity were inspired into action by their experiences during a trip to Africa with the foundation.

Director Neil Kelly said: “For us, it came about when we went out to Kenya with our young trustees.

“We learnt a lot out there about period poverty within the education system over there – young girls were missing education because of the whole culture that surrounded it over there.

“It really took us aback, and when the youngsters came back home they said they wanted to do something about it.

“But we then realised that this was also an issue closer to home.

“You don’t realise that it’s right on your doorstep – girls are missing their education, in particular physical activity.

“Because of something that’s physically natural to a young woman, they’re not able to get the same education or feel physically active – and that’s wrong.

“It’s important for us, particularly because of our women’s and girls’ rugby and football teams, that we really try to make a statement about this.

“We’re trying to deliver a whole community education programme across the town, and hopefully we can beat the stigma of it.”