A young woman is curled up in her scruffy sleeping bag in a shop doorway of Market Street. She looks weary as she asks passers-by for help in her feeble voice. It’s the time of the month and for most people, the thought of having sanitary products on hand doesn’t cross their mind, but for some women, it can be the choice between food or tampons for that month.

According to Manchester City council’s annual rough sleeper count, nearly twice as many people are sleeping on the streets of Manchester as last year. Homelessness has always been an escalating problem within Manchester and it only continues to grow, adding pressure to Manchester City council to find a solution.

The needs of female rough sleepers are often overlooked, after all you don’t stop being a female once you’re on the streets. Periods don’t stop so how are women supposed to…