Pause Not Full Stop
Welcome to Pause Not Full Stop
The silence surrounding the menopause has led to generations of women being under informed about what to expect and how to cope with the symptoms they may experience when transitioning to menopause. Menstruation binds women together with common experiences breaking down barriers, this doesn’t yet seem to be the case with the menopause. It remains a taboo subject which many women do not feel comfortable talking about.
Society currently views the menopause negatively, with hushed conversations taking place between trusted friends. We want to start frank conversations where, with the help of a researcher, we encourage people to challenge their own and society’s view of the menopause, and question why it is still not readily acceptable to talk about it. No longer shying away but embracing it as a step to a new liberating stage of life. Discussing something still regarded as taboo and not readily talked about needs to be handled sensitively. Using drama, comedy and a variety of creative activities we will create safe, supported spaces and settings to kickstart and encourage what may be currently seen as difficult conversations for individuals, friends and family to start to explore the journey through the menopause with a smile instead of fear.
Find out more about Menopause at Let's Talk Menopause Ruth Devlin from Let's Talk Menopause will be at both our Janey Godley event and our Baking and Banter - Rolls workshop. Come along and meet her there.
We are delighted to be working with Dr Vanessa Beck from Bristol University to break down to taboos surrounding the menopause. Vanessa has carried out research into why starting conversations about menopause can be difficult and why we need to start these conversations. You can find out more about Vanessa's research here and more information about menopause resources here.
Join in with our Pause Not Full Stop events
Baking and Banter - Oatcakes Workshop
Join in with our second online baking workshop where, from the comfort of your own home, you’ll learn how to bake delicious oatcakes and share your thoughts or experiences about menopause. This series of workshops is part of our Engaging Libraries, Pause Not Full Stop menopause project, trying to start more open discussions about the Menopause. Our baking guru, Colin Lindsay from Bread in Fife will guide us through the baking part of the workshop before we take some time out to have a cuppa and some chat with our research partner, Dr Vanessa Beck from Bristol University. Dr Beck has carried out lots of research into the way menopause is talked about, or not talked about, and is now hoping to carry out more work around the best way to hold those conversations.
If you are a baking expert or have never baked before, everyone is welcome, just come along prepared to bake and to join in the banter!
We are very grateful for the support of Colin Lindsay from Bread in Fife and Mungoswells Malt and Milling in delivering our baking workshops.
Mind Over Menopause
Harness the power of positive thinking and tame your inner menopause monster.
Join Let’s Talk Menopause’s Ruth Devlin online for a fascinating insight into Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Find out how to relieve your menopause symptoms and let Ruth take you through the basics of CBT and explain how to make the most of relaxation techniques.
Take A Pause and Drop In
Feeling full of menopause misery? Missing dropping in for a chat with friends to cheer you up? Don’t despair – just drop right in to our online sessions where you can meet old friends or make new ones. With a speaker at every session who’ll share information and resources, or just be there to share experiences, all you need to do is grab a cuppa and join in.
Part of our Engaging Libraries Pause Not Full Stop project which aims to bust open those menopause myths, break down taboos and start open and frank conversations about menopause, these sessions are free and open to anyone, aged 18 and over.
Our first session is on Monday 24th May at 2pm when we’ll be joined by Lynn Sutherland, Gynaecology Clinical Nurse Practitioner and Menopause Nurse Specialist from NHS Fife.
What are you waiting for? Book your place here today and we’ll send you a secure Zoom link to the session at 9am on the day. Look forward to seeing you there!
Getting to Gusset GRIPers with Menopause
If your pelvic floor is on the floor and menopause is making you miserable, then don’t miss this event with award winning comedian Elaine Miller. Part of our Engaging Libraries ‘Pause Not Full Stop’ project, this event will have you literally laughing so much you might just wet yourself! So get clenching and prepare for an evening of taboo busting comedy.
Elaine Miller is a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and an award winning comedian. She specialises in pelvic health - so most clinic days are spent with leaky ladies. Her show about pelvic floors, Gusset Grippers, won the Comedy Award at Fringe World in Australia in 2020. Elaine has spoken about women's health in Holyrood and Westminster and is determined to burst the taboos which surround embarrassing issues. Come and hear about pelvic floor exercises, incontinence, sexual function, get discount codes and learn to laugh not leak.
If you've taken part in any of our Pause Not Full Stop activities or events and haven't yet shared your experiences, then please take a few moments to give us some feedback with this short Engaging Libraries survey. Find the survey here
This project is supported by the Carnegie Trust Engaging Libraries project. Engaging Libraries supports public libraries to run public engagement activities on research within the themes of health, society, and culture. It helps to facilitate partnerships between public libraries and researchers, and spark people's curiosity around topics that are relevant or interesting to them. The programme is a partnership between the Carnegie UK Trust, Wellcome and the Wolfson Foundation.
