TVP Menopause Support – a year of action

TVP Menopause Support – a year of action

DS Kelly Gardner and DI Natalie Beresford
receiving 2022 Most Open Workforce award on TVP’s behalf.

On World Menopause Day 2021, we launched TVP’s Menopause Action Group (MAG), with the aim of raising awareness, supporting and providing training to those affected, offering workplace support and solutions where necessary.

The aim of MAG is not just to reach out only to the women in our organisation, the group is focused on everyone, educating men, partners, supervisors, managers about the menopause.

On World Menopause Day 2022, we reflect on how much has been achieved since the launch of MAG within our organisation:

• Updated policies and practices: such as reasonable adjustments, sickness recording, and occupational health referrals, allowing supportive adjustments in relation to managing menopause symptoms in the workplace, and transparency around menopause-related conversations.
• Updated uniform: allowing some permitted changes that improve the comfort of people impacted by menopause.
• Created a Buddy scheme: a support network of 50 individuals who have all been trained to provide help and support to individuals affected by menopause.
• Training: workshops and creating dedicated colleague and manager information packs aimed at supporting people in the workplace through menopause
• Become UK’s first Menopause Friendly Police Force, independently accredited by Menopause Friendly.
• Won the Most Open Workplace Award at the Menopause Friendly Employer Awards 2022, competing against organisations such as Weight Watchers, Santander UK, HSBC UK including first direct and M&S Bank.

To mark World Menopause Day 2022, our MAG has organised a variety of internal online events for TVP employees, on topics such as health, nutrition and work during the menopause, alongside insights into the lived experiences of some of our colleagues during this phase of their lives.

When speaking about these recent achievements, DI Natalie Beresford, MAG Lead, said: “I am so proud of what we have achieved for our force. We couldn’t have done this without the support of our organisation, our Chief Constable, our Chief Constable’s Management Team, and our MAG members, who have done this in addition to their daily jobs. The accreditation and recent award are recognition of the hard work we’ve put into it in such a short period of time, all of us coming together to push this important project forward.”

Winning the 2022 Most Open Workplace Award at the Menopause Friendly Employer Awards:

View the video of our colleagues Detective Sergeant Kelly Gardner and Detective Inspector Natalie Beresford receiving the award on TVP’s behalf here:

The Most Open Workplace Award was given to the organisation that had created the best series of initiatives to allow for open conversations around menopause, including support from senior leadership through awareness and education.

The judges on the Menopause Friendly Independent Panel were greatly impressed by the broad scope of work undertaken by Thames Valley Police and the positive impact this has made to colleagues. They were praised for their focus on improving uniforms, adjusting their female-only fitness to allow for any menopausal women struggling with the fitness test, introducing a buddy scheme for employees and their partners while adjusting duties to give flexibility to those working through menopause. Furthermore, Thames Valley Police put in place a dedicated inspector to drive best practice and oversee training for all senior managers and ensured updates and discussions around menopause in the workplace are included within the Assistant Chief Constable’s bi-monthly meeting on EDI.

Shortlisted alongside Thames Valley Police were: WW; Santander UK; BAE Systems; Ingeus and HSBC UK including first direct and M&S Bank.

Deborah Garlick, CEO of Menopause Friendly and organiser of the Awards, said: “This category was the most hotly contested and all credit must go to Thames Valley Police for winning against such an impressive field of shortlisted organisations. It is so heartening to see such excellent work being done to create an open workplace where people are encouraged to speak up about menopause. Talking openly is the best way to break the taboo while training colleagues, supporting staff and giving those working through menopause the chance to seek the help they need can make a massive difference within organisations. Thames Valley Police have set an excellent example to everyone and I congratulate them on their Award.”

Note to editors:

Detective Inspector Natalie Beresford is available for interviews. If you would be interested in this, please contact our Media Office at mediaoffice@thamesvalley.police.uk  to register your interest.