We’ll use any excuse to get our best friends together for a boozy brunch, and there’s no excuse that better affords some day time drinking than raising awareness for period poverty.

Period poverty is a worldwide problem faced by women and girls on a daily basis as they struggle to pay for sanitary products – even in the UK. In fact, according to Plan International, one in 10 girls across the UK are unable to buy sanitary products and even those of us have the funds to buy the supplies we need, are often too embarrassed to talk about the subject. 

That’s why the travelling charity event, Bloody Big Brunch, has decided to give the trendiest meal of the day a novel twist, with the aim to get people talking about periods. 

Taking place at the uber cool restaurant-come-bar The Book Club in Shoreditch on the 2 June, brunch lovers and period poverty activists are invited to rock up between 12 noon til 4pm to sip some spicy Bloody Marys. But instead of (just) bringing your purse along with you, the event organisers are asking for a form of payment which much more tangibly represents the cause. 

That’s right: in a thought-provoking move, all sanitary products (including pads and tampons) will be accepted at the bar and swapped for a delicious Bloody Mary. It’s no gimmick either, *as* each and every feminine hygiene product will actually go to use and be donated to the women who need them most throughout the company.

To help make donations as easy as possible, the Bloody Big Brunch has partnered with Hey Girls!, an ethical, buy-one-give-one sanitary pad social enterprise who are on a mission to support girls and young women throughout the UK. At the brunch, the award-winning Hey Girls! will offer the opportunity to make contactless donations, meaning pads go straight to those who need them most.

The event will also feature DJs, story-telling and the opportunity to hear more from period poverty organisations and campaigners. And if you’re worried about lining your stomach, no fear. The restaurant will be serving up brunch as usual to go along with your do-gooding beverages, with a menu that features delights such as pancakes doused in caramel sauce, banana, fresh berries or blossom honey & berry compote and fried tortillas with refried beans, avocado, fried eggs and pulled pork.

Speaking about the event, Lee Beattie, one of the organisers of the Bloody Big Brunch, said: “It’s time to remove the taboo of talking about periods so we can talk about period poverty. 

“Taxed as a non-essential luxury item, the reality is that sanitary products should be a basic essential available to all women. So we’re using an actual luxury - brunching with a Bloody Mary in hand - to shine a light on this massive issue that lots of people – women and men – don’t know much about.

“Nobody should feel shame about menstruation, nor should they have to resort to uncomfortable substitutes or no sanitary products at all. By getting bloody talking over a Bloody Mary, we can start helping those in need – and putting pressure on the government for change.”

Everybody and anybody is welcome, so grab a friend, mother, sister, (or brother!) and take up this fantastic opportunity to meet new people and raise funds and awareness to fight period poverty.

Images: Getty / The Book Club