5 November 2025. This month, our Food with Friends focused on migrant women’s health. Our community researchers, Anita David and Fatma Tuylu, shared findings from their Community Participatory Action Research project, “Migrant Women’s Barriers to Accessing Menopause Care: Insights from Portsmouth” with research participants, stakeholders, and the wider community. This research explores the challenges that migrant women from ethnic minority backgrounds face in accessing menopause information and support.
In October 2024, our community researchers, Anita David and Fatma Tuylu began the NHS-funded Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR) programme, supported by mentors from the University of Reading, Scottish Community Development Centre, and Institute of Voluntary Action Research (IVAR). This year-long project focused on understanding the barriers migrant women face in accessing menopause information and support.
The idea for this work began in May 2024, when we invited Sophie Cartledge from the Hormones on the Blink to give a talk to our participants about menopause. Many women were eager to share their experiences, and it became clear that more needed to be done to explore and address the barriers faced by women in our community.
When the findings were presented to medical practitioners and other stakeholders in London this September, they sparked another lively and thoughtful discussion. Many women shared their own experiences, whether they were pre-menopausal, going through menopause, or post-menopausal. Their stories reflected both resilience and frustration.
One of the key findings highlighted that migrant women from ethnic backgrounds often lack complete or accurate information about available menopause resources and services. Those who do seek medical care are often discouraged after receiving inconsistent or incomplete advice from healthcare providers.
The aim of this research has always been to empower migrant women from our local ethnic communities, to highlight the barriers they face in accessing menopause support, to raise awareness about the importance of women’s health, and to influence NHS policies and strategies so that services are more inclusive and responsive to diverse needs.
We were delighted to see such a strong turnout for this month’s Food with Friends gathering! The event was well attended by both community members and professionals, and the energy in the room reflected a shared commitment to improving women’s health and wellbeing.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us: Dr Esther Mijers from the University of Reading, Dania Ahmed from Public Health England, Jo Atkinson and Leanne from Portsmouth City Council, Isabelle Sene from Loaves of Love, Jan Probert from Friends Without Borders, Yvonne Baker from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Lucky Haque and Mala from Chat Over Chai, Nadia Al-Samerai from Portsmouth Mediation, Emily Burt and Roshni Barrass from Spark Community, Sandra Hall from Patient Safety Partner and Katie Carew-Robinson from Community Connectors (PCC).
By coming together as a community, we are changing the conversation around women’s health, one story, one discussion, and one action at a time.
