The emPOWER Breakfast's Bonus Session at FOCUS

What an amazing end to the first year of The emPOWER Breakfast to have a bonus session at FOCUS meet the makers with not just one but three incredible speakers who were all mind blowing with their insights and strategies on redefining what selfcare actually means. With tips on how to support ourselves in order to perform at our highest possible level, by sharing how they do it. The session as a whole encouraging us to build in self awareness, in order to maintain equilibrium in these challenging times. 

Athene shared bite sized tips on how to regulate your nervous system and it was brilliant to see everyone joining in! 

Leila Bartlam talked about working life through the lens of neurodivergence and how she advocates her needs, and emPOWERS her team to advocate for theirs. She also revealed plans to launch an ND support network in 2025 so more news on that when we get it. 

James Hayhurst spoke about the POWER of communication as a tool for self care and we also touched on his initiative Parents Promise which is fostering conversations around separation and creating company policy to cover divorce and separation as a life event. Selfcare that is essential for a workforce going through this ongoing process. He also needs your help… If you're a parent who has separated with school-aged children, please fill in their short survey here. 

Melissa Robertson spoke about her experience of perimenopause and the tactics and supports she has put in place both in the agency and with clients in order to encourage awareness around this topic that affects both Women and Men. Melissa also put in place an open source Menopause policy that you can access here.

And as a director of the Menopause mandate is at the forefront of lobbying policymakers to create more positive and POWERful change for women everywhere. She also produced a charity comedy show this year that was hosted at the Hippodrome stuffed to the rafters with exclusively female comedy talent, and with possible plans afoot for the programme to potentially be televised could YOU be the sponsor to make that happen? 

What a community we are part of and what a pleasure it was to host this session. The brilliant news is we have James returning in 2025 for the emPOWER Men series and Melissa will be back in the room to share more about her Menopause journey. 

2025 is going to be massive.