Community Engage Foundation

In May 2023, we hosted a menopause awarness evening for over 50 women of the local community.

Below is an article by Near Neighbours on the event and how important it is to tackle taboo subjects.

"Around 40 women gather in the parish hall at St Ambrose Barlow Roman Catholic Church in Birmingham. The room is abuzz with anticipation. They are here for a special event about the menopause, something which most women experience but is often seen as a private issue or subject to social stigma.

 Bordering the rows of chairs in the middle, a selection of community organisations and local businesses have set up small stalls promoting self-care and personal wellbeing. The event starts with a presentation on what the menopause is and how different people experience it, followed by time for questions and general conversation and mingling amongst attendees. 

Some of the participants have never had the opportunity to learn about the menopause or discuss it with others, and it’s a huge relief to understand that they’re not alone in their experiences. 

One says, “I can’t tell you how much this means to me – I thought I was going mad with the menopause!” Another participant describes their participation in the event as “life-changing”. 

“It’s the first time I’ve organised something like this,” says Hayley, who planned and delivered the event herself. “I thought this would be a brilliant springboard for the women of the parish and the community to come together. Even though the menopause is very relevant to lots of people and not a new topic, it still carries a strong stigma,” she explains. “Some of the participants are retired, and some of them were feeling lonely. I believe the event allowed the women to realise that they are not alone and helped them feel stronger.” Before today, 

Hayley was involved at St Ambrose Barlow church in a volunteer capacity, overseeing the renovation works on the church as well as running its community café which provides free meals and hot drinks for those in need. The idea to run a community event on the menopause came into being after Hayley participated in a ‘Menopause and Me’ workshop series organised by Rabiyah Latif, Near Neighbour’s Hub Coordinator in Birmingham in partnership with Birmingham MIND.

 From her work with different community groups, Rabiyah had noticed that a lot of women had started to talk more openly about the menopause and their symptoms. She began by organising a series of six workshops for faith and community leaders to start a conversation and talk openly about signs and symptoms of the menopause and how organisational policies could be supportive of these experiences. 

The popularity of these sessions meant the work then expanded to other community settings, as well as a Near Neighbours national webinar on the topic. “Most of my work happens as a result of talking to people,” Rabiyah explains. “This is an example of how a conversation leads to something, which then leads to something else. We work with the leaders and we work with their community networks.” 

While Hayley self-funded the event rather than applying for Near Neighbours funding, she notes that the connection with Near Neighbours was crucial for her when setting up the event in her community. “This event wouldn’t have happened without Near Neighbours. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to organise anything like this… I haven’t gone through the menopause myself, and I wouldn’t have known how to bring the women together,” she says. 

She adds that having the support from Rabiyah and Fatema from MIND was fundamental: “Their talks were a big draw. It gave focus to the evening.” After the success of this initial workshop Hayley has hopes to arrange another similar event later in the year. “I’ve had people asking repeatedly: ‘‘When’s the next one?’” she says. 

Looking ahead, she envisions these events evolving into a self-organised group, where women can meet up regularly and provide mutual support to each other. "