A TAMPON tax community fund is being launched in Warrington to support women and girls.

The Cheshire Community Foundation will be working with community groups and charities who deliver projects that support women and girls to build skills and confidence, improve their health and wellbeing and build social networks.

A key focus will be funding preventative work to reduce the risk of crisis at different life stages.

The group has more than £43,000 available to spend and anticipates making up to eight awards in Cheshire and Warrington. Applications to the fund opened yesterday, Monday, September 17 and close at midnight on November 5.

Zoe Sheppard, CEO of Cheshire Community Foundation, said: “This is the first time we have been involved with the fund and it is a real opportunity for us to support women in Cheshire and Warrington.”

Shona Blakeley, development manager at Women’s Fund for Scotland who are working with UK Community Foundations, said: “Since receiving the Tampon Tax funding in 2016, we have been able to make a difference to the lives of 18,000 women in Scotland.

"The new funding will have a much wider reach than those it seeks to support, and will also have a positive effect on families and the wider community.”

The tampon tax fund allocates money generated from VAT on sanitary products to projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls.

For more information or to apply email grants@cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk