About menopause
Thanks to a few committed and tenacious women, perimenopause and menopause is now being talked about way more than ever before. And yet there is still a lack of awareness and clear information about what menopause is, and how it might affect people at work.
As well as many people not realising that what they are experiencing is related to menopause, there is still lots of fear and shame around talking about the symptoms and their effects.
If we want the best possible people doing their best possible work, we must create spaces where people feel able to talk, and organisations feel confident responding.
BM Spaces can help build this confidence. In RECENT NEWS (Feb 2024) The EHRC warn that UK employers could be sued if they fail to support women going through the menopause.
There are far too many women not operating at their best, not going for promotions they are right for, and leaving their industries altogether. This is happening at a point that should be the peak of their careers, where their extensive skills and experience are hugely valuable. Sadly, this wealth of talent is being compromised or lost completely, because of an avoidable lack of awareness and support.
In the UK, 59% women said their menopause had a negative impact on their work, 78% women and trans men felt unable to report their menopausal symptoms at work and 1 Million women have left their jobs because of menopause symptoms. (CIPD, 26th March 2022 and The Fawcett Society, Menopause and the Workplace, 2022)
About me
I am a writer and an actor. Alongside my creative practice I have always been a facilitator and teacher too. I have over 25 years’ experience designing and delivering training and workshops. I have worked extensively across the arts, the voluntary sector, in education, in prisons, in mental health settings and in business. I've worked in Senior Leadership roles and as a Board member in the Education, Arts and Charity sectors.
I now work in a freelance capacity for a number of arts organisations including The National Youth Theatre, Clean Break, Tonic Theatre and the Map Consortium alongside my creative practice.
My personal experience of perimenopause had a profound effect on my work as an actor, writer and facilitator. As soon as I was out the other side of that very tricky time and could reflect more clearly on what might have helped (and what definitely didn’t!) I started incorporating those experiences into my writing and devising workshops around menopause, mid-life and change. I also designed and delivered Tonic's new menopause work whilst working as their delivery lead in 2023.
Seeing how much demand there was for menopause specific training I set up BM Spaces. Boldly Menopause spaces run by me, Becca Manley. I am passionately committed to raising awareness and improving support for women as they go through this challenging but potentially incredibly exciting period in their working lives. In doing so, I believe that organisations of all shapes and sizes can be happier, more effective, more inclusive and retain and attract the best possible people.
About bm spaces
All BM sessions are tailored to meet the needs of your group. They are informative, honest, inclusive and – I hope – fun. Everyone coming to a BM space will leave with
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A greater insight and understanding of menopause and perimenopause
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A sense of how that might impact you, your colleagues and your organisation
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Confidence that there are things you can do to make things better for you, your colleagues and other people in your life
Who are BM sessions for?
Menopause affects over half the population. Anyone who is going through it, will go through it, has been through it, and anyone who lives with, works with or loves someone who is, has or will, is better able to support themselves and others if we increase awareness. At my reckoning, that means – with very few exceptions – EVERYONE.
How long is a BM session?
There is some flexibility around this depending on the level of prior knowledge, size of group and what you would like us to achieve. My standard Boldly Menopause session is 2 hours.
What do they cost?
I have a fixed rate for my standard 2 hour boldly menopause session. There are extra fees for more bespoke work. I offer a reduced rate for voluntary sector organisations and charities. There is a discounted rate for booking multiple BM Spaces. Contact me for more information.
What do BM spaces feel like?
Because each BM space is full of different people with different expectations and
experiences, each session is different. I love that. I try to ensure everyone feels welcome and heard, and that everyone is able to participate as much or as little as they want. I am happy to answer questions and don’t assume any knowledge. I am happy to share my personal experiences in order to help us understand a bit more about the very real and human and unique experience of menopause. I don’t expect anyone else to share their personal experiences, but am always happy for that to be brought into the space if and when people want to.
Here’s what a few people have said about my sessions…
“Becca’s approach to the menopause is just what we need. Full of warmth, wit and wisdom, with practical takeaways and an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the many ways this crucial period of life affects us all. Hugely recommended.”
“Becca’s workshop was equal parts a fascinating multicultural history of menopause, an exploration of how societies treat women and a philosophical journey about finding meaning in the face of change. Being a man in no way lessened my ability to learn, reflect and be a better partner to my wife - all as a result of this session.”
“Becca is an incredibly skilful facilitator. She brings her intelligence, humour and experience to these workshops making them inclusive, accessible and most importantly pitch perfect. Becca acknowledges every woman is uniquely different and yet she manages to reach everyone in the room and makes the sessions enlightening, smart and free from patronising generalisations. This is EXACTLY what we all need.”
“I am so grateful for Becca’s workshop. It wasn’t until I was in her session that I put everything together that has been happening to me at work and in all aspects of my life for years. I thought it was just me! I thought I'd lost myself forever. But I came out believing I could do something about it.”
Contact bm Spaces
I look forward to hearing from you. If you would like to learn more about my work or have any questions, please get in touch.
If you want to know more about my writing
https://theagency.co.uk/the-clients/rebecca-manley/
If you want to know more about my acting
https://www.actorshowreels.co.uk/rebeccamanleysamplereel
https://app.spotlight.com/8613-1204-1437
