A GROUP of four friends will be bringing a menopause cafe to Tavistock for the first time next month to talk all things perimenopause and menopause in an open, safe space welcoming all.

Danielle Haydon, Yung Strawbridge, Sarah Jordan and Annie Langman joined forces to set up the new cafe after seeing their success in nearby places such as Plymouth and Exeter and learning there was no such provision in West Devon. The first session will take place on Wednesday, June 7 and then continue on the first Wednesday of every month, from 1-3pm upstairs at Mime Cafe on Paddons Row. The menopause cafe is free and welcomes all genders, with the intention of also helping men and younger family members learn from others on the subject.

Danielle said: ‘I did some work with a CIC [Community Interest Company] in Exeter promoting menstrual wellbeing, extending from that giving support on pregnancy and the menopause, and really wanted to bring that here by following the national initiative, which is open to anyone who would like to start a menopause cafe.

‘We think it will really helpful. We’re in our forties and approaching a time of life we don’t know a huge amount about. It’s a good way to support others, come together and speak with people you’ve never met and learn from each other. It’s nice to know there’s a community out there. I hope from this we can inspire others to start a menopause cafe in other areas of West Devon such as Okehampton.

‘It’s been a natural, organic process to set this up. We’ve been given a beautiful and private space — Mel at Mime was really supportive for a cause like this and we’re very grateful to Flourish Paperworks for creating some great posters.’

The four women have already been hard at work, spreading word of the cafe all around the town by networking and distributing posters and have been speaking with local GPs and pharmacies who can signpost patients onto the cafe. For those who are unable to attend the monthly Wednesday cafe, the group is planning additional sessions on evenings and weekends, provisionally set to take place once every three months, with specialist speakers such as a Japanese reflexologist, a nurse specialising in women’s health and the menopause and a personal trainer.

Yung said: ‘We really want to help remove any stigma and talk about things which are normal. It’s great to offload any baggage we feel we may be carrying and have a laugh about things as well. Come along by yourself or with friends; if you don’t know anyone, sometimes it can be easier to speak to strangers about your experiences or worries.’

For more information on the cafe and regular updates, visit their Facebook page at: https://shorturl.at/ktGMO