Here’s how we’re using climbing to tackle the menopause in a ground-breaking multi-disciplinary new course called Moving Through Menopause.
Spoiler alert: it’s awesome.
A ground-breaking new project to use climbing to help women transition through the menopause has launched.
Our West Yorkshire-based charity ROKT Foundation will use the Olympic sport to help women tackle the effects of menopause alongside other key therapies.
Bouldering, rope climbing and caving are all on the agenda for the 16 women on the pioneering pilot course which runs for 10 weeks until April, dubbed ‘Moving Through Menopause’ and funded by a Sport England Jubilee Grant.
Here at ROKT Foundation we believe this is the first dedicated climbing course aimed at helping women through the menopause that features additional expert advice and classes – ranging from nutrition and wellbeing to working with a specialist menopause GP expert.
The key aims of the course are to improve women’s physical and emotional wellbeing, building muscle memory, targeting key physical areas like bums, tums and core, and mindfulness – alongside insights into hormonal imbalances and HRT treatments.
Katie Kinsella, ROKT’s Director for Community & Business Engagement, said: “We believe this is the first time climbing has joined forces with clinical and holistic interventions and been shaped into a full course. This not only harnesses the power of the sport, but adds critical other elements to help women through areas of menopause widely accepted as key challenges.
“There’s some brilliant work going on nationally using climbing to support women and menopause, but we’ve gone that step further – and higher – by putting this 10 week package together.
“It’s about understanding the changes taking place and then what we can do to manage the transition and make it much easier. Building confidence and self-esteem is a critical part of this and helping provide ladies with the tools they need.
“A great example is addressing an issue like brain fog – we know it happens, but we don’t have to accept it. Climbing is a great leveller, so giving the group something to focus on – like climbing up a 21m lead wall – helps train focus on just one thing. This of course is complimented by tips on getting better sleep, nutrition and self-care, all of which will help reduce common symptoms like brain fog.
“Like this course, the menopause is a journey and you don’t suddenly go from pre-menopause to post, it can take years. That’s why the advice and guidance our partner experts can bring to the table will be so vital and adds to the unique nature of this programme.”
Experts in the fields of health and nutrition include GP Dr Ailsa Care, who has spent more than two decades guiding women through the menopause and is a strong advocate for functional medicine – and understanding environmental impacts on health and the root causes of problems.
Jana Shirley was originally a dancer before falling in love with the recovery techniques for lower back pain through pilates. Now Jana works to support others with chronic pain and discomfort – specialising in the discomfort menopause can have on the body and how improved movement and core strength can help combat this.
These experts are also well-versed in nutrition and will be supported by Chair of ROKT Foundation and Italian restauranteur and hotelier, Lidia Shinwell. Lidia will focus on the benefits of Mediterranean influences in people’s diets which can have a positive impact during menopause.
The first pilot course has now started, but there will be many more to come throughout 2023. Ladies who live in Calderdale – and close surrounding areas – who are interested can get in touch on info@roktfoundation.co.uk
To find out more about ROKT Foundation see www.roktfoundation.co.uk or watch films at www.youtube.com/@roktfoundation
Ends.
Notes to editors:
Images: Course participants (L to R) Lisa Jagger, Sarah Crossland and Lindsay Hawker
For images, video, interviews and press visits, please contact Graham Poucher on graham@poucherpr.co.uk or 07587 180005.
Projects partners include:
www.drindra.co.uk www.pilateshuddersfield.co.uk
www.facebook.com/lidiasitaliankitchen
We’ve had another fabulous week of healthy holidays this Febuary half term.
During the week we provided an SEN (special educational needs) specific programme and the children had a great time!
This saw ROKT Foundation support more than 45 kids with a range of additional needs.
Thanks to Calderdale Council and Community Foundation for Calderdale for their support.
So what did our kids get up to this week?
Rope climbing, harness swinging, bouldering, caving, escape rooms and puzzle boxes from Project Breakout – plus great food courtesy of The Millers Bar and Crust and Crumb 77.
Take a look at our film featuring one of our group’s amazing day of urban adventure here at ROKT Climbing Gym.
You can watch more films on our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@roktfoundation
Watch as our little stars take on the indoor cave at ROKT Foundation as part of our charity’s amazing Climbing for All Families programme backed by The National Lottery Community Fund.
The kids are all from Highbury, an outstanding specialist school providing specialist education for children with a wide range of complex special educational needs and disabilities.
Check out the bravery and team work these little wonders show with some help from ROKT Foundation’s expert climbing instructors Paul and Phil here in Brighouse.
December saw us welcome around 80 children to ROKT Foundation to climb, run, jump, escape, yoga, eat and be merry this Christmas.
Aged seven to 16 they’ve all had an amazing time on the programme.
It was great to see youngsters with special educational needs also involved and just under half were new attendees, who tested their nerve with new activities from yoga and bouldering to climbing for candy canes and hunting for presents in the cave.
They also channelled their inner Santa by abseiling down the famous ROKT chimney before trying to escape from the Project Breakout escape rooms.
As part of the programme, we welcomed nine refugee children thanks to our work with St. Augustine’s Centre in Halifax, and they said they had a great time with us.
All enjoyed the fabulous hot food provided by Crust and Crumb 77 and thanks to our amazing instructing staff of Phil, Paul, Tom, Caleb and our Project Breakout team for creating such great experiences.
We didn’t win, but we were delighted to make the final for the Charity of the Year at the amazing Community Foundation for Calderdale awards.
Brilliant event and a packed room full of amazing people doing great things for Calderdale and beyond.
Well done to The Maurice Jagger Centre for winning ‘Charity of the Year’ in their 40th anniversary year!
And of course to everyone who was nominated. What a town we have.
This month we hosted a pilot session of a small group of youngsters on the West Yorkshire Police Calderdale Early Intervention Programme.
The four week-long, intensive support programme which has taught about the dangers of knife crime, gang culture, assault and County Boundary Lines, culminated in a final learning session in ‘Active Urban Adventure’.
To kick start the day the students were treated to a session with experts from British Weight Lifting, learning how to lift a variety of weights safely and the impacts of weight training on mood and physical health.
This was followed by a learning session with the Early Intervention Team where the students discussed about the common crimes youngsters of their age are at risk of getting involved in and the consequences.
The students were then challenged with two hours’ of hard climbing activity including low level bouldering, indoor caving and high rope climbing.
We were amazed at how well they worked as a team and two students, fearful of heights, made it to the top of the 21.5 metre lead wall – what an achievement!
Finally, the group tested their problem solving and team skills to master the Project Breakout escape room in under 60 minutes with great success.
This small group showed excellent manners, listening skills and teamwork. They all tried something out of their comfort zone and were amazing to work with.
Our very own ROKT Foundation dog, Murphy loved them! Well done all of you and keep making good choices.
We are delighted to share our annual report for 2021-22.
Most importantly it shows the game-changing impact ROKT Foundation and our partners is having on real lives.
To help raise funds to pay for food, vet bills and medicine to help handle the influx of kittens and cats, the staff at RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford & District are joining forces with ROKT Foundation to invite people to take on the scratching post challenge on Yorkshire’s highest indoor climbing wall.
ROKT Foundation and Invictus Wellbeing charities have joined forces and secured funding to support mental health and wellbeing for children and young people aged 12-17 years old in Kirklees schools.
It is completely free. Thanks to the generosity of One Community in Kirklees and their commitment to supporting mental health for young people through their grant programme we can do this potentially life-changing work.
We can offer free courses to Kirklees schools to support pupils who are specifically in need of extra support with their health and wellbeing. These may be children that have been identified by teachers or the pastoral team.
Read our online brochure here: www.yumpu.com/s/5T7h31EJbH0GKml9
So, what can you expect? Basically all the exciting things listed on the other
pages in this brochure!
Do you have students you think would benefit from this project?
Then get in touch and we’ll arrange a chat about the programme in more detail.
Email katie.kinsella@roktfoundation.co.uk or call 01484 937180.
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