MovieChat Forums > I, Daniel Blake (2017) Discussion > sanitary napkins and tampons not availab...

sanitary napkins and tampons not available in the food bank


As a woman it struck me that they gave away toilet paper but not sanitary napkins and tampons. It's time society acknowledges its something necessary, not a taboo

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As a woman it struck me that they gave away toilet paper but not sanitary napkins and tampons. It's time society acknowledges its something necessary, not a taboo

The reason why they don't give away sanitary products at the foodbank was explained by the volunteer taking Katie around in that scene: it's simply because people don't donate them.

The foodbank scene was filmed at a genuine distribution centre in Newcastle (The Church of the Venerable Bede), and I believe that the woman who discusses this with Katie is a real-life volunteer. (I'm not 100% certain about this, but most of the people in that scene were genuine foodbank volunteers or "customers".) Now, the absence of sanitary products was used as a plot device (because she can't get hold of them, Katie tries to steal them instead), but I still assumed that the explanation in the foodbank was intended to make a point. Although I agree with the sentiments of your OP, foodbanks can only distribute what they've got: if people like you and I think that sanitary products are an essential and need to be available, then it's up to us to do something about it and donate them...

--
"So I've got bullets, but no gun. That's quite Zen."

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I believe that the woman who discusses this with Katie is a real-life volunteer (I'm not 100% certain about this, but most of the people in that scene were genuine foodbank volunteers or "customers".)


She is.

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Thanks for the info! I don't live in the UK, and I didn't realize until now, how the food banks work

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I live in New Zealand and our foodbanks are the same.

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I have made several food bank donations of sanitary towels since seeing this film, so the film has made a difference and I've made a small difference.

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wow that's great! keep it up :)

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Well, it is a food bank, they can't covere everything.

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