An impactful exhibition and research project funded by Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) and UKRI Research England has arrived at Westminster this week, shining a spotlight on the hidden menopause crisis affecting UK women.
This Is Menopause, organised by Pauline Ferrick-Squibb, Senior Lecturer on the BA (Hons) Commercial Photography and MA Photography courses at AUB, is being hosted in Parliament under the sponsorship of Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole.
The powerful showcase uses striking portraits, personal stories and a central participatory research quilt to challenge the societal stigma, healthcare gaps and workplace challenges associated with menopause. The project highlights AUB’s commitment to funding research and creative initiatives that drive tangible social change and tackle pressing national health and equality issues.
At the heart of the project is a collaborative quilt made up of 78 individual squares. Created in collaboration with 55 women, the quilt was produced during a series of eight workshops hosted by AUB’s Innovation Studio.
The research project aimed to determine whether engaging in the creative process of quilt-making would empower women to express their experiences with greater confidence and advocate for systemic changes in menopause care. Participants utilised a variety of creative techniques, including letterpress printmaking to make statements, digital fabric printing of paintings and drawings, and traditional embroidery.
According to The Menopause Charity, more than 10% of women leave their jobs due to menopause symptoms, and over 90% experience them, yet the condition remains heavily misunderstood and under-supported. By bringing the exhibition directly to the heart of government, the project aims to influence policy and ensure menopause support is properly integrated into the NHS and the workplace.
Sponsoring MP Vikki Slade emphasised the urgency of the cause, sharing her own lived experience: “Before going through perimenopause myself I was completely oblivious to the impact this time would have on my life.
“Like many women at this age, I found it impossible to undertake simple tasks; I thought I was going mad and I even considered quitting my job. I can see why many women step away from successful careers at exactly the point where they could and should be leading their organisations.
“It is critical that we don’t sweep the night sweats, brain fog and emotional rollercoaster under the carpet. Women must be supported through the NHS, by employers, and by society as a whole.”
Pauline’s motivation for the project comes from first-hand experience with the systemic gaps in women's healthcare. Pauline explains, “Despite an increase in awareness in the media, women experiencing the menopause are still not getting the support and treatment they need. I know this first-hand having been prescribed anti-depressants aged 47 and finding that the depression did not leave me until I was prescribed HRT five years later.
“Everyone who has worked on this quilt hopes that its creation helps open up these much-needed conversations on the menopause and our generation can be proud to transition the menopause from a taboo and unknown topic into the everyday, helping give women the support and help they need.”
Before making its high-profile debut in Westminster, the exhibition completed a successful five-month showing in the Art Space Gallery at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s BEACH Building, followed by a popular run at the Lighthouse, Poole.
Mr Tim Hillard DM FFSRH FRCOG Consultant Gynaecologist and lead clinician at Poole Menopause Clinic, University Hospitals Dorset Trustee and past President of the British Menopause Society, comments, “This wonderful exhibition that Pauline has put together encapsulates the whole essence of menopause and why it’s such an important issue – it affects all women, whoever they are, whatever their background – and can have very varied impact on a woman’s life which for some women can be really debilitating.”
Following its time in Parliament, the AUB-backed exhibition is set to return home to Dorset, where it will continue to engage local communities, raise vital awareness and break down societal taboos.
