THAMES Valley Police (TVP) has become the UK’s first Menopause Friendly Police Force, independently accredited by Menopause Friendly.

The workforce is currently made up of 47.0 per cent women, including staff and police officers, and in the past twelve months alone women have accounted for almost 50 per cent of new officer recruits.

With a growing female workforce and a heightened national conversation around menopause, TVP said it “recognised a need to improve our support where this important issue was concerned and that we needed to do so dynamically”. 

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As a result, TVP’s internal Menopause Action Group (MAG) was launched on World Menopause Day in 2021, with the aim of raising awareness, improving support, and providing staff training.

Bicester Advertiser: Chief Constable John Campbell QPM and Detective Inspector Natalie Beresford receiving TVP’ Menopause Employer Friendly accreditation certificate. Picture by TVP.Chief Constable John Campbell QPM and Detective Inspector Natalie Beresford receiving TVP’ Menopause Employer Friendly accreditation certificate. Picture by TVP.

Currently, TVP has 18 MAG members actively driving forward policies, with Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) and South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) being highly involved and supporting these improvements since the launch of the group.

Chief Constable John Campbell QPM said: "In Thames Valley Police, as an organisation striving to be a workplace where everyone can flourish, we are committed to raising awareness, increasing support and investing in training for the workforce about the impact of the menopause.

“We are extremely proud of becoming the first UK police force to be granted this accreditation. It is testament to the hard work and focus that has gone into enhancing our practices and procedures.”

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 In addition to the accreditation, Thames Valley Police has also been named as a finalist in two categories of the industry-recognised Menopause Friendly Employer Awards - powered by HSBC UK, first direct and M&S Bank.

Thames Valley Police has been shortlisted in the following two categories:

  • Most Open Workplace – for the organisation that has created a series of initiatives to allow for open conversations around menopause, including support from senior leadership through awareness and education. Other finalists alongside TVP include WW and Santander UK.
  • Best Engagement Campaign – for the organisation that has created a campaign that has ignited changing perceptions of menopause in the workplace through creativity, making it a normal conversation. Other finalists alongside TVP include Boots UK and QVC UK.

Bicester Advertiser: Sparking conversations - DI Natalie Beresford attending an Open Day at West Berkshire Local Policing Area, where first visitors to the stand were men. Picture by TVP.Sparking conversations - DI Natalie Beresford attending an Open Day at West Berkshire Local Policing Area, where first visitors to the stand were men. Picture by TVP.

Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked: Menopause in The Workplace, said: “The standard of work and level of activity demonstrated by entrants to the first-ever Menopause Friendly Employer Awards has been really high.

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“I’m delighted to see recognition for the hard work being done at Thames Valley Police to open conversations and raise awareness of menopause in the workplace.”

Detective Inspector Natalie Beresford, of MAG lead, added: “I am so proud of what we have achieved for our force.”

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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