Website: www.change.org/EndTamponTax
Twitter: @LauraCoryton

Laura Coryton was a student in May 2014 when she launched the change.org campaign ‘Stop Taxing Periods’ to abolish the controversial tampon tax. The online petition gained more than 320,000 signatures. Along with protests, demonstrations and viral social media, the campaign forced government action through pure people power.

A major victory was won in March 2016 when chancellor George Osborne pledged in his budget to exempt menstrual products from sales tax. This pledge hinged on forcing a change in EU law allowing member states to scrap VAT on tampons, another hurdle to overcome. In the meantime, the £15m raised would be given to women’s charities.

Two years on, Laura is still campaigning to get Osborne’s pledge pushed through. In May 2016 a demonstration was held outside Parliament to put pressure on the government to take the final step of abolishing the tax for good.

Laura is a graduate in International Relations from Goldsmiths’ University and now works for the Labour Party. A charismatic and fearless protester, Laura is a role model for a young generation wanting to make a difference.