The husband of a Watford woman who died by suicide hopes a menopause event will help others in similar situations.

Following the first Ask for Watford event focussed on women’s safety in and around the town, Vicarage Road is hosting a second panel, on menopause.

Watford FC and the Community, Sports & Education Trust are inviting people to join the discussion around all aspects of the menopause and the impact it has on individuals, relationships, work, and home life.

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The event, to be held at Vicarage Road Stadium on November 23, will feature a panel including GP Clare Searle, Watford councillor Jennifer Pattison, Menopause Support founder Diane Danzebrink, and Martin Weatherlit.

Mr Weatherilt, whose wife Annette died by suicide in 2021, said: “We know there are holes in the system, and people can fall into these gaps. That’s what happened to our family.

“From July to November 2021, Annette, my wife, went from being one of the most grounded people you can meet to taking her life because she couldn’t cope with the effects of her menopause and her HRT going wrong.

“She had many of the symptoms that many people have but felt she didn’t get the right support.

“The more we talk about this the better, so fewer women in the future who are faced with these decisions have to go through the same thing.”

Menopause Support founder Diane Danzebrink will also be on the panel.

Watford Observer: Diane Danzebrink Diane Danzebrink (Image: Diane Danzebrink)

She said: “I think it’s going to be a great evening. I think its brilliant that a football club are getting involved.

“We typically think of football as a sport that men play and support but we are starting to see more women and girls in the sport and everybody has friends, family, parents, that go through it.”

She will speak on her own experience at the event.

She added: “I set up my menopause campaign in response to my own experience of menopause.

“When I was plunged into surgical menopause it took me to the point of coming very close to taking my own life.

"When I eventually got the right support I wondered if it was just me, but there were thousands of women saying ‘I don’t know who I am anymore’.”

Dr Searle is an expert in women’s health and gynaecology and partner at Bridgewater Surgeries.

Watford Observer: Clare Searle Clare Searle (Image: Clare Searle)She will be highlighting the importance of “making sure everyone has access to information and someone they can reach out to”.

Councillor Jennifer Pattison will also be speaking on the importance of closing “gaps” in services for people in Watford and the council’s commitment to services for menopause, including becoming a menopause friendly employer.

She said: “If we want to be leaders around menopause support, we need to lead by example and we are going through that process.”

Dave Messenger, from Watford FC, explained how the event came about following last year’s Ask for Watford event centred around safety.

He said: “We saw Huddersfield Town had become the first football club to become a menopause friendly employer.

“We spoke to them and saw it was a long process and so decided to do little things first to put us in the right direction.

“We can’t wait for the event.”

Following the panel discussion, there will be a Q and A session for attendees to discuss the topic.

Tickets for the event, from 6pm to 8pm, can be booked here. 

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