Some conversations change the way you see the world. And then some conversations change the way you see yourself.
On International Women’s Day 2026, Men’s Prosperity Club Birmingham is hosting one of those rare, life-shifting events — an IWD Workshop that brings one of the UK’s most passionate voices in women’s health directly into our community. Her name is Fiona Catchpowle. She is a Menopause Doula, a biologist, a holistic therapist, a lecturer, a social media marketer, and the founder of The Menopause School. More importantly, she is someone who has walked the difficult road of hormonal change without a map — and decided to become the guide she never had.
This is her story. And it means more than you might think.
Why IWD and Men’s Spaces Belong in the Same Sentence
Before we dive into Fiona’s incredible journey, let’s address the question that might already be forming in your mind: why is a men’s mental health group hosting an International Women’s Day workshop?
The answer is simple. Because the men in our community are fathers, partners, brothers, sons, colleagues, and friends. Because 51% of the UK population menstruates at some point in their lives and the people who love them need to understand what that means. Speaking out about women’s health has never helped anyone, not the women themselves or the men who care about them.
According to the British Menopause Society, there are approximately 13 million women in the UK currently in perimenopause or menopause. Yet a 2023 survey by Nuffield Health found that 45% of women felt that menopause had a negative impact on their work, and over 60% said they had never spoken openly about their symptoms with a GP. Meanwhile, a growing body of research shows that partners of women going through perimenopause and menopause frequently report increased anxiety, confusion, and feelings of helplessness, with very little support available to them.
The conversation around women’s hormonal health doesn’t just belong to women. It belongs to all of us.
And that is exactly why Men’s Prosperity Club is opening its doors — and its heart — for this IWD spotlight event.
Meet Fiona Catchpowle: The Woman Who Became the Guide She Never Had
Fiona Catchpowle does not fit neatly into one box. She is a biologist by training, a holistic therapist by practice, a teacher by nature, and a storyteller by heart. But it was her own deeply personal experience of perimenopause that set her on the path to creating something genuinely transformative.
“In my quest for the truth about menopause, because it seemed illogical that I knew nothing about the process, I have been on an incredible journey,” she writes.
That journey began long before she recognised it for what it was. Looking back, Fiona now understands that the signs of perimenopause had been present for at least six years before she acknowledged them. Classic symptoms like sadness, insomnia, heart palpitations, crushing fatigue, and brain fog arrived quietly and persistently. But layered on top of those were experiences that felt more unsettling and far harder to name — an inability to drive in the dark, days-long bouts of tinnitus, spontaneous vertigo, and plantar fasciitis so severe that every single step was agony.
Without context, without education, and without anyone to talk to, these symptoms felt like a mysterious illness nobody had heard of.
And here is the devastating part: Fiona was not an uninformed bystander. She had spent years as a holistic therapist running her own business. She had stood in front of biology classrooms. And yet, as she openly shares, she had never learned anything meaningful about menopause — because the educational system had never taught her. As a biology teacher, she was aware that a GCSE textbook dedicated just two pages to hormones. Two pages.
By 2017, the year she turned 50, Fiona had begun to take action. Using her scientific background and years of holistic practice, she developed a Food and Mood Diary, built a sustainable movement routine, and began to identify her personal triggers. She was doing what so many women are forced to do — figuring it out alone, through trial and error, in the middle of an exhausting health journey.
“I remember thinking how much easier it would have been if there had been someone to talk to,” she says. “I simply wanted to reach out, have a conversation, and get some advice. Maybe someone like a Menopause Doula.”
She could not find one.
So she became one.
The Birth of The Menopause School
What started as a personal mission quickly became something much larger. As Fiona began reaching out to other practitioners and wellness professionals, she noticed a glaring gap in the landscape of holistic health education. There was no dedicated, meaningful place to learn about menstrual health and menopause for holistic therapists, complementary alternative practitioners, or the wider wellness community.
In September 2021, The Menopause School officially opened its doors — and it has been changing lives ever since.
The Menopause School exists to provide relevant, grounded, and empowering education for wellness professionals who work alongside people who menstruate. But its reach goes much further. Fiona’s vision is to create as many information touch points as possible — to weave menstrual health literacy into every well-being conversation, from the very beginning.
“I am passionate about teaching everyone how to reimagine the role of menstrual health and place it easily at the start of every well-being conversation,” Fiona explains. “Learning the language of menstrual health and connecting the dots between periods, perimenopause, and beyond can give menstruators the knowledge and curiosity they need to learn more.”
This is not just education. This is liberation.
Because when people understand their bodies — when they trust what they feel, know the language to describe it, and have professionals around them who genuinely understand — everything shifts. Confidence grows. Shame dissolves. Informed choices become possible.
The Data Behind the Silence
It would be easy to assume that in 2025, we have come a long way in talking openly about women’s hormonal health. The data tells a more complicated story.
According to a 2024 report by the Fawcett Society, 1 in 10 women in the UK has left a job due to menopause symptoms. Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that only 24% of UK employers have a menopause policy in place. A 2025 survey conducted by Menopause Experts Group revealed that 73% of UK women going through perimenopause said they still felt their symptoms were not taken seriously by healthcare professionals.
At the same time, mental health challenges connected to hormonal changes are significantly under-reported. Anxiety and depression are among the most common symptoms of perimenopause, yet they are frequently misdiagnosed or dismissed. Women are prescribed antidepressants when what they may need is hormonal support — and that disconnect costs lives.
The World Health Organization defines menstrual health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being… in relation to the menstrual cycle.” Under that definition, the UK still has a very long way to go.
Fiona’s work sits directly at the intersection of these failures. She is not just teaching about menopause — she is challenging the culture of silence that has made these gaps possible.
“We don’t talk about menopause, because we don’t talk about menstruation, and we don’t talk about menstruation, because nobody taught us how to,” she says plainly. “It’s time to think differently and evolve the menopause narrative into a positive, clear, and calm space.”
Why This Workshop Matters for Men Too
Here at Men’s Prosperity Club, we talk a lot about vulnerability. We talk about the courage it takes to show up honestly, to ask for help, and to hold space for others. Our walk-and-talk sessions and horizontal leadership model are built on the belief that connection is the antidote to isolation — for men and for the communities around them.
Hosting Fiona as part of our IWD programme is a natural extension of that philosophy. Because understanding the women in your life — really understanding what they may be navigating physically, hormonally, and emotionally — is one of the most powerful forms of showing up.
When your partner wakes up at 3 a.m. and can’t explain why she’s so anxious, you can help her feel better instead of being confused.
You can ask the right questions if your mum or sis seems distant or stressed out.
You don’t have to judge a coworker who takes more sick days than usual. Instead, you can show her support.
Knowledge creates empathy. Empathy creates connection. Connection saves lives.
That is what this IWD workshop is really about.
Join Us: IWD Workshop — Spotlight on Women’s Health
Men’s Prosperity Club Birmingham warmly invites you to join us for our International Women’s Day Workshop featuring the extraordinary Fiona Catchpowle.
This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the UK’s leading voices in menstrual and menopause health education — in a space that is open, curious, and genuinely committed to community wellbeing.
Whether you are a man wanting to better support the women in your life, a wellness professional looking to deepen your understanding, or someone navigating these health challenges yourself — this workshop is for you.
Tickets are available now via Eventbrite. Spaces are limited, so secure yours today.
👉 Book your place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iwd-workshop-spotlight-on-womens-health-tickets-1984387569639
About Men’s Prosperity Club Birmingham
Men’s Prosperity Club is a free mental health support space dedicated to men seeking peer support, personal growth, and community connection. More than just a group, it is a movement — one that encourages men to express themselves openly and authentically, without judgment and without hierarchy.
Through unique walk-and-talk sessions and a horizontal leadership model, we create a safe space where vulnerability is embraced as strength. Every man who walks through our doors is met with respect, consistency, and care.
We believe that prosperity is not just financial. It is emotional, relational, physical, and communal. And we are building something real here in Birmingham — one honest conversation at a time.
If you are a man who is struggling, searching, or simply ready to connect — we are here for you. Our group is free. Our doors are open. And you do not have to figure it out alone.
The Courage to Listen
International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate, to advocate, and to act. But it is also a time to listen — really listen — to the experiences of the women who share our lives, our workplaces, and our communities.
Fiona Catchpowle has spent years turning her pain into purpose, her confusion into clarity, and her isolation into community. Her story is a reminder that education is not just information — it is transformation.
Come and be transformed.
We will see you there.
Book your IWD Workshop ticket now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/iwd-workshop-spotlight-on-womens-health-tickets-1984387569639
Learn more about Fiona Catchpowle and The Menopause School: Visit The Menopause School to explore Fiona’s training programmes and resources for wellness professionals.
Connect with Men’s Prosperity Club Birmingham: Join us for our weekly walk-and-talk sessions — free, open, and always welcoming.
