The Box Project By Chester Pride

As lockdown restrictions ease as part of the UK Government Roadmap, Chester Pride is looking forward to continuing a lot of its charitable projects such as The Box Project.

This project supports any persons in need of free condoms or sanitary/ menstrual products.

The Box Project first launched in 2020 between lockdowns but has been unable to fully operate because of the Covid-19 restrictions on many of its distribution partners. A total of 15 venues are onboard for distributing individual packets containing FREE condoms or sanitary/ menstrual products along with information on about Virgin Care who have funded this project as the local Sexual Health provider in Chester. The packs also contain a list of support helplines on drug and alcohol related issues, physical and domestic abuse helplines plus many more subjects. These discreet packages can be picked up from:

The Liverpool Arms – The Victoria Inn – Mecca Bingo – The Unity Centre – Beer Heroes – Jaunty Goat – Just Cuts – The Love Shack – Wagon & Horses (Blacon) – Holy Trinity Church Blacon – Tarporley Sixth Form College – The Old Queens Head - St Werburgh’s Medial Centre for the Homeless – The Oddfellows Arms – The Commercial Hotel.

Chester Pride are keen to expand this service and invite businesses from any sector to get in touch to become a Box Project partner. This is a totally free service to anyone wishing to become a partner; just email boxproject@chesterpride.co.uk to register as part of the project.

“Chester Pride is pleased to be able to use our visibility and presence to provide a much-needed service that extends further than our LGBT+ community. The project came about after a Pride committee member and some friends were enjoying a night out in Chester, when one of their friends was ‘caught short’. With no shops open or vending machines containing the necessary products across three venues, by chance they got what they needed from a local drag queen at Rosie’s, who had some in their dressing room that were used as part of a cabaret act. It made us realise that in most LGBT+ venues across the UK, condoms are given away for free, but Chester sits outside the main cities that offer this service. We thought that we as Chester Pride should provide this service but extend it to include menstrual products and offer this to everyone across the community, so we got to work with Virgin Care and Body Positive to enable this to happen. Unfortunately, lockdowns have meant we have not been able to fully roll this project out until now” said Warren Lee Allmark, Chester Pride Chair.  

A spokesperson for Virgin Care said “Virgin Care are proud to be working with and sponsoring Chester Pride’s The Box Project. We hope that making information and products easily available in social areas will reach the communities we are here to support and promote our services to the local area. In the current climate, it is as important as ever to promote our services, including our online and outreach provisions by offering free services to residents who cannot pay for or access sexual protection and sanitary products. More information on Cheshire West and Chester Integrated Sexual Health services can be found here: https://www.thesexualhealthhub.co.uk/  ”

SexSmart, a Body Positive project, provides a free and confidential service promoting sexual health and better relationships in the local community.  “It is with great pleasure that we are able to support Chester Pride's Box Project by enhancing the online services we provide.  As well as access to free condoms and lube individuals can now access a range of sanitary products” said a spokesperson for Body Positive.

For more information, please contact sexsmart@bpcnw.co.uk, call 01270 653150 or visit www.bpcnw.co.uk.

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