A MUSSELBURGH-BASED social enterprise is in the running for three national awards, recognising its roles in combating period poverty and improving period dignity.

National not-for-profit Hey Girls has been shortlisted in the Technology Social Enterprise of the Year and the Social Enterprise of the Year categories at the UK Social Enterprise Awards – while founder Celia Hodson and the team have been shortlisted in the Women in Social Enterprise category.

Hey Girls, at Newhailes Business Park, operates in the UK and Australia on a ‘buy one, donate one’ model and has donated more than 25 million environmentally friendly period products to its community partners.

It aims to eradicate period poverty in the UK and increase period dignity in education and the workplace.

Last month, Scotland made public health history by becoming the first country in the world to protect the right to free sanitary products in public places.

Hey Girls has lobbied for the Period Products Act since the social enterprise was founded in 2018.

Celia said: “Our services have been needed more than ever over the past year, with the cost-of-living crisis bringing with it a rise in the number of people living in period poverty here in the UK.

“To be shortlisted for these awards shows that hard work is being recognised, and we are very grateful for the honour.”

The UK Social Enterprise Awards are run by Social Enterprise UK, a membership body for social enterprises. Winners of each category will be announced at the Roundhouse in London on December 8.

Peter Holbrook, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said that social enterprises such as Hey Girls were “trailblazers” which put people and the planet first and empowered communities.

He added: “In these turbulent times, they are a beacon of innovation, optimism and resilience.”