The jogscotland Menopause Friendly campaign is launched

Tuesday 23rd November 2021

We are delighted this week to launch the jogscotland #MenopauseFriendly campaign, to help joggers learn about running through menopause, and help our jogscotland groups become as menopause friendly as possible.

We want to change the script around menopause. We can’t alter the physical facts of it, but we can help those going through it. We want to create a world where jogscotland members going through menopause:

Can feel strong, confident and proud of themselves, even when they’re facing difficult physical and mental challenges.
Feel free to talk about their experiences without shame or embarrassment.
Are informed and empowered, so that they can get the support they need from medical practitioners, friends and family.
As a result of those things, stay active through menopause and beyond, at whatever level suits them.

As we launch our #MenopauseFriendly campaign this week, we are:

* Publishing on the jogscotland website three pages full of useful information for joggers and jog leaders:

* Launching the jogscotland Menopause Friendly Jogging Group logo

The logo is designed with both our ‘runner’ logo, and a fast forward sign, to show that life doesn’t have to go on pause for menopause. It can be used by groups where the jog leaders pledge to:

Educate themselves on the symptoms of menopause and the challenges of running through it.
Make their groups supportive to joggers going through menopause by using the tips on our new web pages – for example with flexible sessions and an openness to talking about menopause.
Share information about running and menopause on their group’s social media to inform joggers and normalise it as a topic of conversation.

* Inviting all our jog leaders to join us for a Zoom seminar on supporting their joggers through menopause

We will be joined on Wednesday 24 November by Dr Juliet McGrattan, expert in running and health, a former GP and award-winning author.

Juliet has written and spoken extensively on the topics of women’s health, running, and menopause, and we’re really looking forward to hearing what she has to say, with almost 100 jog leaders signed up to take part.

As the campaign launched, development officer for jogscotland, Jo Stevens, said: ‘We have been hearing more and more from our jog leaders and joggers that they are looking for support to get through menopause and remain active.

‘Our aim is always to break down barriers to getting – and staying – physically active, so it makes sense for us to join the growing movement of people removing the stigma around menopause and the challenges it can bring.

‘One of the greatest things about our jogging groups is that members are so supportive of each other. When we launched the I’m here movement, we saw how much our jog leaders were able to lead change by welcoming conversations about mental health and wellbeing at their groups.

‘The #MenopauseFriendly campaign is just another step forward in that work, and we can’t wait to see our amazing jog leaders and their joggers take it forward. We’re particularly grateful to the jog leaders who have contributed to this work so far.’

The resources we are launching have been put together with the help of a small focus group of jog leaders with lived experience of running through menopause, our partners SAMH, and sharing information from the NHS Inform pages on menopause.

Jane Malcolm (pictured below), is a jog leader with jogscotland Penicuik and also a member of our focus group.

She said: ‘I am delighted to have been part of this really important conversation. I am currently in the perimenopause stage of menopause and as a jog leader and runner I have been trying to raise awareness through my experience to all those in our group. It is a natural process, and we need to own our menopause and not hide away.’