When Hot Flush Took Centre Stage

Back in June 2025, something happened in Barnstaple that felt quietly revolutionary. No, it wasn’t a new cocktail bar opening (although we’d have applauded that too). It was the very first Hot Flush Menopause Information and Support Event, hosted by Studio KIND, a space better known for its art exhibitions, now transformed into a hub of hormones, honesty, and hope.

For one night only, women, and anyone living with the rollercoaster of menopause symptoms, gathered not just to listen, but to connect. The guest speakers were as varied as the symptoms themselves: NHS healthcare professionals with decades of experience, and passionate advocates of self-care who’ve turned their own journeys into lifelines for others. Together, they created something I didn’t know we needed: a chorus of voices saying, “You are not alone.”

And because not everyone could make it, JAM-AV Media Production swooped in with cameras and microphones, capturing the evening so it could live on beyond the walls of the Pannier Market. The recordings are now online via Studio KIND’s YouTube channel, menopause meets on-demand streaming.

So, where to start? I’d recommend beginning with Dr Jessica Danielson’s talk. Clear, scientifically grounded, and refreshingly jargon-free, she has a way of making even the messiest hormonal shifts sound manageable. Click on the speaker’s name to watch the presentation on YouTube.

Here’s the line-up from that evening:

Dr Jessica Danielson, GP, Bideford

Natassja Hodgson (NDDH), Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian, BDA

Dr George Capone, Clinical Psychologist (HCPC Registered PYL 35044), Warrior Women Project

Kylie Smith, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Menopause, NHS TALKWORKS, Barnstaple

Rozzy Scott, Physiotherapist and Pelvic Health Specialist, The Physio Crew, Barnstaple

Hannah Lenton, Yoga for Menopause Instructor

Jemma Coates, Mental Health Occupational Therapist, Barnstaple Alliance Primary Care

Hannah Shackleton, Local Partnerships Manager for Active Devon

Rachel Stanton & Emma Johnson, Artists, Art & Wellbeing, facilitators of Sketch & Walk, Appledore

It struck me that night: menopause isn’t a solo act, it’s an ensemble piece. And when the right voices come together, the conversation shifts from whispers of discomfort to a standing ovation of support.