By Debra Newrick, Health Project Coordinator
Hello everyone! We hope you’ve been making the most of this gorgeous summer weather we jad.
What an exciting month August has been for our Women Over 55’s Health Discrimination Project! We’re thrilled to share that we’ve brought together a fantastic core group of passionate women who are ready to lead the charge on tackling the health discrimination challenges facing women over 55. This brilliant team will be guiding our work throughout this two-year journey, and we couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve already accomplished together.
A Major Milestone: The Official Launch
We’re delighted to share some great news with you all. People’s Health Trust has launched a major new programme, which aims to help local people experiencing discrimination – including racism, homophobia and transphobia, ablism, misogyny, and ageism – to take action and secure positive change that will benefit their health. And we’re proud partners in this groundbreaking initiative!
This programme couldn’t come at a more important time. Discrimination is a profound social injustice and it fundamentally affects people’s physical and mental health. When we face discrimination, it creates chronic stress that affects everything from our immune system to our heart health.
The programme is working with six towns and cities across England, bringing local people together to share their experiences and create real action plans for change. It’s about making sure we have a voice at the table, that we’re heard and included, and that we can challenge the systems and attitudes that treat us unfairly.
Bristol Women’s Voice: Leading the Way
With our project, we are working to raise the visibility and inclusion of women over 55, and it’s truly inspiring to see what we’re building together. We are a group of women aged 55 and over living in Bristol who are facing age and gender discrimination, often while dealing with financial challenges too. But rather than letting these obstacles defeat us, we’re coming together monthly to understand exactly what we’re up against and how we can fight back.
What makes this project special is that it’s not just about talking – it’s about taking real action. We’re working to influence decision-makers, challenge harmful stereotypes, and create lasting change in our communities. Plus, we’re getting training and support to make sure we have all the tools we need to be effective campaigners.
Our Campaign Focus Areas
After careful consideration and discussion, our group has identified four key areas where we want to focus our efforts:
- GP and Medical Training – We’re working to embed a feminist lens into medical training and research.
- Food for Women’s Over 55 Health – Tackling the specific nutritional needs and challenges that affect us as we age, especially when dealing with financial constraints.
- Ageist and Sexist Language in Health – Challenging the harmful stereotypes and discriminatory language that too often creep into healthcare settings and cultural representations of older women.
- Awareness Campaign for Screening Services – Making sure women know about and can access cervical screening over 64 and mammograms over 70. These services can be life-saving, but many women don’t even know they’re available.
Each of these areas represents real issues that affect our daily lives and our health. By focusing our efforts here, we can create meaningful change that will benefit not just us, but future generations of women too.
Looking Forward
Our work is just getting started, and every month brings new opportunities to make our voices heard and our communities stronger. The support from People’s Health Trust gives us the backing we need to create real, lasting change.
Don’t Miss Our Next Meeting!
Mark your calendars! Our next meeting is coming up on Wednesday 10 September from 3pm to 5pm at the Central Quaker Meeting House, Champion Square, Bristol BS2 9BD.
Whether you’re a regular attendee or thinking about joining us for the first time, we’d love to see you there. Every voice matters, and every story helps strengthen our collective power to create positive change.
If you have any questions or want to know more about getting involved, please don’t hesitate to contact Debra. She’ll be happy to chat with you about the project and how you can be part of this important work.
Debra Newrick
📧 healthcoordinator@bristolwomensvoice.org.uk
📱 0755 7540 301