World Menopause Day is held every year on the 18th of October to break the stigma and raise awareness on the options available for people experiencing menopause and those around them. 

All across the country organisations are doing their bit for the cause and Sheffield is no different.

The University of Sheffield has become the first higher education institution to launch a personalised app to support staff going through the menopause. 

With already 350 members already signed up, the Peppy app provides free expert advice and emotional and mental health support for women working for the university. 

Professor Katherine Linehan, Chair of the University’s Gender Equality Committee, said: “Around half of our workforce will experience menopause in their lifetime and symptoms can have a detrimental impact at work and at home. 

“We hope this is another important step in our efforts to eliminate the gender pay gap, improve staff wellbeing and make a significant difference to the experiences of our whole University community.”

And the support doesn’t stop there. 

Lab4Living, who work to address real world issues that impact health and wellbeing in their research, are hosting ‘Menopause and the Body’ today in the White Building on Fitzalan Square. They are collaborating with Sheffield Hallam Menopause Network to provide movement and nutrition workshops as well as an opportunity to meet and chat with others. 

They are also funding an Off the Shelf poetry event focused on the poetics of ageing this Friday at the White Building in Sheffield. 

Labour councillor Jayne Dunn, who has just thrown herself into the ring for Sheffield Central MP, is leading a Sheffield coalition to ‘smash the stigma’ of menopause, as well as highlight the issue of period poverty. 

Cllr Dunn said: “Women are a significant element in the City’s economy and are vital to helping families through the Cost-of-Living Crisis but cannot if they are too ill to work. 

“We will commit Sheffield Council to working with partners throughout the city to stop women being disadvantaged at work because of menopause, and to doing everything we can collectively to tackle period poverty.”