Some selected training sessions and events
CTP UK: World Menopause Day and Wellbeing Month
"I think your session may have helped save the Force from an Employment Tribunal. Thank you!!"Due to popular demand, we delivered an online talk for Counter Terrorism Policing and National Policing. Everyone was welcome and there were many men amongst the substantial attendance.
As the focus of the talk was to offer support and suggestions for people on how they might open a conversation about the menopause, be that at work or within a home environment, the content appealed to, and resonated with, everyone who attended. Workplace reasonable adjustments were also discussed, along with the legal obligations of employers.
Menopause Demystified for Surrey Fire & Rescue
A group of around 20 Officers and Staff from Surrey and Sussex Fire & Rescue Services attended a full Menopause Demystified (CPD accredited) training session at Surrey FRS HQ. The reaction in the room was hugely positive and the feedback was how important the topic is for everyone – not just women. In fact three men attended the session and all agreed that they had learnt a great deal.Some feedback from delegates included:
- “It has helped me develop more insight, thank you. By reading the resources and reflecting on the course, it will help me gain further knowledge and awareness to progress.”
- “Many thanks once again for your inspiring and informative session. With more women joining the Fire Service, this subject is going to remain, quite rightly so, an important part of our workforce conversation and the support we can provide.”
- “It was a wonderful session which held some new nuggets of information for each individual and broadened all of our understanding around such an important subject”
Overcoming Overwhelm for the London Fire Brigade
Stress and feelings of overwhelm are too common in many work places. With the additional trauma Firefighters often face during their everyday work, getting things into balance is critical.The full-day Overcoming Overwhelm (CPD accredited) session was welcomed by a group from LFB (London Fire Brigade) and Surrey Fire and Rescue. We were joined by Blue, Borough Commander Lucy's OK9 wellbeing dog, who brought lots of cuddles and calm.
Learning about the impact of different personality types, nutritional and other aspects of wellbeing were reported as highlights, alongside learning about stress and how to build resilience.
Built to last (male wellbeing) for the London Fire Brigade
"The course was excellent. Pitched perfectly and loaded with information. Just brilliant!"A group from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) had a full, Built to last (CPD accredited) session on male wellbeing. Learning about the different aspects of wellbeing and how they are linked, as well as the role and importance of testosterone were highlights. Also nutrition for shift working and health changes to look out for and get checked, if necessary.
Menopause Demystified for Sussex Police
A group of around 20 Officers and Staff from Sussex and Surrey Police attended a full Menopause Demystified (CPD accredited) training session at Sussex HQ. It was very well received and participants agreed that similar sessions should be made widely available within both Forces.Some feedback from delegates included:
- "I found the session extremely informative and I am still feeling very excited about everything that I have learned."
- "I learned what's going on with my hormones and that my symptoms are normal and that I'm not alone!"
- "I have told everyone at work how great the session was and how valuable I found it."
- "Great to speak to others going though the same thing face-to-face in a safe space. Remote sessions do not offer this important advantage."
Wellbeing session for Kings College Hospital Nuclear Medicine Department
Staff from all levels in the Nuclear Medicine Department joined the talk on wellbeing. There was a lot of interest in all the topics discussed and a good Q&A session at the end.Sleep hygiene and nutrition were areas of particular interest - and, given that some staff work shifts, this is a common thing within the NHS.
The current challenges faced by the NHS with staffing issues, lack of resources and people having to do more with less, often leads to stress and overwhelm.
Menopause session for Women in Counter Terrorism Policing UK
Following a session for the Metropolitan Police, we were asked to give an online talk for Women in Counter Terrorism Policing across the UK. The event was extraordinarily well attended, with over 85 people present.The session resonated with those present and there were lots of questions. The attendees appreciated the honesty and sharing of personal experiences and left feeling more confident about being able to make their own choices in terms of their own menopause support.
It was so well received that conversations are likely, with the objective of requesting continued support by sharing information via a global platform.
Built to last for Fire & Rescue
Around 20 Fire & Rescue personnel (with a few from the NHS and Police) from various commands joined us for a (free) Built to last session, focusing on wellbeing - with some particular references to male wellbeing. It is one of our CPD accredited courses and it includes things that may happen as we age, the importance of nutritional and physical wellbeing, as well as a big section on stress, building resilience and looking after our mental wellbeing.Feedback from attendees included that their own services would benefit greatly from having the training. There were comments like, 'It would allow people to deal with their anxiety', 'It would get the conversation going' and 'It would increase self-awareness and wellbeing within teams and allow people to deal with it'. One participant, when asked if there was anything not relevant, commented, 'I think all areas covered have relevance to the Service and should be shared with all Emergency Services' which reflected the views of everyone present. Another commented, 'I was skeptical to start, but quickly realised that "this is about me!" and I'm going to take action immediately!'
Emergency Services evening in Parliament
The NHS, Fire & Rescue, Ambulance Service and Police – our amazing ‘emergency services community’ – are under ever-increasing pressure from all sides.With the kind support of James MacCleary, MP for Lewes, we organised an evening in Parliament dedicated to them and to finding ways that we can support them.
We had six excellent speakers on the panel, talking about a diverse range of topics, all of which being of major relevance to the audience (more on each to follow). We had a ‘full house’ of 170 people. There was a lot of information sharing, exchange of ideas and experience and, of course, networking.
- How to retain people and skills in the workforce, Steve Aumayer, CEO, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
- AI as a tool to help to support work, streamline routine and back-office tasks, Carl Dalby, Group Head of AI / Digital
- Inter-agency collaboration – benefits, challenges and implementation, Nikki Watson QPM, Chief Fire Officer, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue
- Suicide - awareness raising, practical actions - what can we all do? Rachael Swann, CEO, Grassroots Suicide Prevention
- Leadership - current challenges and what we can do, Commander Richard Smith, Metropolitan Police Service
- Wellbeing and lifestyle factors, Dr Saima Ajaz, Senior Clinical Lecturer, Lifestyle Medicine Physician, King’s College Hospital
Resilience re-born - surviving adversity and emerging stronger
A group of 45 women gathered at Ratley Village Hall to hear Katie's experiences, how they had shaped her life and led her to emerging stronger and successful.The session was organised by the Vicar of Edgehill Churches in Warwickshire, The Rev. Barry Jackson and his wife, Sarah.
The number of inspirational and moving stories that were shared after Katie's talk, and the positive energy in the room, combined with the connections made, ensured the session lived up to, and exceeded, expectations.
Barry and Sarah received a huge number of messages of thanks after the event which proved how meaningful it had been for so many.
Leadership challenges
Warwick Business School organised a leadership workshop for 35 MBA students at the Shard campus in London.Issues around personal resilience, juggling workload and personal life, mental wellbeing and communications were discussed. There was a lot of discussion and questions exploring real-life experiences, tips and tricks.
Wellbeing at Work
The Wellbeing at Work conference is aimed at businesses and organisations of all sizes, based in East Sussex. We have been supporting the conference for several years and, once again, were invited to speak and have a 'stand'.The presentation was in the form of an interview with Travis (of The Men's Room, Hastings and St Leonards). Travis spoke of his personal experiences and the challenges he had faced in life. The take-home message was very much, 'If you or anyone around you has problems, get help, talk to people - do something about it!'.
The Men's Room is established to offer a safe and supportive space for people to go along, talk, exchange experiences and ideas. You can find details here: mensroom.community.
Menopause course for Met Police
A Menopause demystified half-day session was delivered to a large group of Metropolitan Police Officers and Police Staff. The women present expressed sincere gratitude that they could have access to the invaluable and empowering information in the workplace free of charge as there was no organisational budget for such important training.It is difficult to measure the benefits of such sessions, however the feedback we receive from many clients is that when women feel empowered to make the decisions that are right for them, this translates into saving many lost work days due to the impact of menopause transition, together with supporting women to navigate their personal and professional relationships.
One of the participants commented, “I wish every woman could receive such an input so they are prepared for peri-menopause, rather than fearing it. The practical and research-based information we were given helps to navigate what, for many, can be a dire situation as the go through this natural phase of life.”
Male wellbeing event in UK Parliament
In December 2024, we organised a major event in the UK Houses of Parliament on Male wellbeing. With over 140 guests and hosted by James MacCleary MP, the evening was a huge success.There was a big representation from the blue-light services (NHS, Police, Fire and Rescue) and a panel of six amazing speakers.
For more information click here
Menopause awareness sessions
In late 2024, we were delighted to visit Eastbourne Mosque and deliver Menopause sessions for women from the local community.The sessions were very popular and stimulated a lot of lively and full discussion around the topic. It was such a positive experience to visit the women in their own environment and to be able to have really open exchanges about topics that can be challenging.
Male wellbeing for leaders of local voluntary organisations
Reaching disadvantaged and minority communities with critical and empowering information related to health and wellbeing can be very challenging. Whereas our menopause courses are extremely popular with women, males are often reticent to learn about their own wellbeing.The CPD-accredited Built to last male wellbeing session gives people important information about their physical, nutritional and mental wellbeing, empowering them to take control. We organised the course for leaders from the voluntary sector so they could consider how best to get the information to their people.
Overcoming Overwhelm for The Men's Room
We have been working to help The Men's Room, a male self-help group in Hastings and St Leonards in Sussex, and were delighted to run a training session over two evenings for their members.Overcoming Overwhelm (CPD accredited) helps people to control their stress, build their resilience and to master their mind - enabling them to set and achieve goals more easily and effectively. The course was a huge success, with a lot of positive feedback, including comments like, "This has given me the tools I need to take back control of my life".