Beverley Davis, volunteer chair of the Cambridgeshire Police Menopause Support Group
Cambridgeshire Police Federation is shining a light on the work being done to support officers and staff experiencing menopause – and their colleagues and families.
Leading that effort is Beverley Davis, the volunteer chair of the Cambridgeshire Police Menopause Support Group.
Beverley has spent the past 12 months building on the strong foundations laid by her predecessor, Chief Inspector Kate Firman.
“I took over from Kate in November 2024 when she retired,” Beverley explained.
“Kate was a real champion for supporting women in the workplace.
“Her passion naturally extended into the menopause, and she played a key role in helping us achieve our Menopause Friendly Employer accreditation.
“We’re one of only four police forces in the country to hold that recognition. I’ve been determined to keep that work moving forward.”
Beverley’s first year as chair has been a busy one.
“It’s really been about cementing what Kate has done as work as normal and extending our reach,” Beverley said.
“We’ve recruited more menopause champions across the Force and are ensuring they receive formal training.
“We’re not just relying on lived experience, but also understanding the science behind menopause.”
The group has also developed a Viva Engage support network for officers and staff.
“We are sharing our own experiences, advice, and suggestions, but also sharing information, videos, and guidance from Henpicked, who are our menopause-friendly accreditors.”
The Menopause Support Group has raised awareness at Force wellbeing events, through drop-in sessions, and the work of its Menopause Champions.
“At our wellbeing open day earlier this year, our menopause stand was incredibly busy,” Beverley recalled.
“It was great to see just how many people, men and women, wanted to talk.
“In fact, it was almost a 50/50 split. Menopause affects half the population directly, but the other half are living alongside it, supporting partners, family members, and colleagues. That’s why this needs to be an inclusive conversation.”
Indeed, the group recently appointed its first male menopause champion to help open up conversations around relationships and understanding.
“We want everyone to feel part of this,” Beverley said. “Menopause isn’t just a women’s issue, it’s a workplace issue, and a family issue.”
The group also works closely with line managers across Cambridgeshire Constabulary, providing resources and training on how to support team members.
“There’s lots of management advice available, particularly through Oscar Kilo and our own menopause awareness programme, which is available on our training platform,” Beverley said.
“There’s advice on workplace adjustments and risk assessments.
“We’ve found through national and local survey results, is that there were a lot of women who were reluctant to have those conversations with their line managers, but when they did, they felt very supported.
“It’s how we encourage and make colleagues feel empowered to start those conversations in the first place.”
She added: “It can affect your confidence. People might shy away from things like presenting and interviews, so it can affect things like career progression.
“It can be a scary time, so when you realise these symptoms are common and you’re not alone, that can be very powerful.
“More than half of our female workforce is over 40. And because we’re effectively half male and half female, that’s around 25 per cent who are likely to perimenopausal or menopausal.
“I don’t think there’s one single health issue which will affect that many people in the workforce. This is why the conversation is so important.”
The Menopause Support Group has led a month-long awareness-raising campaign throughout October.
“We focused on four key areas: nutrition, movement, sleep and stress,” Beverley said.
“We’ve had a Small Steps, Big Impact workbook challenge.
“People have been able to download it, set themselves challenges for each theme, and reflect on what’s helped and what hasn’t.
The group also put on webinars from Henpicked and through the collaboration between the forces of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire.
Topics covered include gut health, sleep for shift workers, mindfulness and meditation.
And there has also been a practical side.
“I managed to secure some turmeric and ginger samples from a local company,” Beverley said. “They’re great for joint health and calming the mind. We handed them out alongside eye masks and earplugs just little things to help people engage and take care of themselves.”
For Beverley, this work has a personal element.
“I’m a volunteer in this role but I’m passionate about it because I know menopause can be isolating for people,” she said.
Beverley has worked for around 20 years for Cambridgeshire Constabulary. She joined as police staff, became a response officer in her 40s, and later returned to a staff role. “When I trained as an officer at 45, I was perimenopausal and didn’t realise it,” she said.
“You are wearing a stone extra in body armour and PPE, your joints ache, and you’ve got to get out of this vehicle and chase a 17-year-old down the road.
“My body was changing, and my confidence was affected. It was a tough time.
“The women who continue to serve on the frontline while managing menopause symptoms, it is quite remarkable what they are doing.
“I’m now back to being a staff member and I can contribute just as well.”
Now the Force’s local policing business partner, Beverley leads a department of around 37 staff.
And she’s determined to continue to advocate for others.
“I’m 57 now, and I often think if this kind of support and open conversation had been around when I was 40, I might have had a completely different experience,” she said. “That’s why I’m so committed to making sure others don’t have to struggle in silence.”
Beverley said that as she enters her second year as chair, she is focused on continuing to build awareness and access to information.
“We want to make sure our female workforce have everything they need and that line managers know how to support them,” she said.
“Resources in policing are always limited, but there’s so much good material out there. It’s about connecting people to it.
“Details of all our menopause champions are on SharePoint, so if you want to talk to someone please reach out.”