WINGS Community Impact — Women’s Hormones & Health Initiative
What began as a small awareness session has now grown into one of WINGS’ most meaningful community legacies.
The Women’s Hormones & Health initiative started with a simple intention: to help women understand the hormonal transitions that shape their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
But over the years, it transformed into something far deeper — a trusted, private support community of more than 200 women across the Midlands.
Each month, this group gathers to explore topics that are often ignored or misunderstood, including:
- Hormone changes & perimenopause
- HRT options & personalised guidance
- Sleep disruption & nervous system health
- Hot flushes & mood shifts
- Muscle mass & strength decline
- Brain fog, anxiety & emotional resilience
- Nutrition for hormonal balance
- Lifestyle practices for longevity
What became clear through hundreds of conversations was this:
Women didn’t just need information — they needed a safe, supportive space.
They needed community.
They needed each other.
And that’s where the real transformation began.
From Conversations to Community Action
As themes emerged, so did a powerful insight:
Lifestyle change is the strongest lever for hormone health, stress management and long-term resilience.
To support this, WINGS secured NNS community funding and launched free Tuesday Tai Chi & Walk sessions in Sutton Park.
What started with a handful of women has grown into a weekly ritual where:
- Tai Chi grounds the nervous system, reduces stress, and improves balance
- The group walk becomes a safe circle for sharing, laughter, and support
- Women feel seen, understood, and uplifted — without judgement
- Community replaces isolation
- Strength replaces uncertainty
Today, these sessions are often described as:
“the reset button I didn’t know I needed,”
“my sanctuary,”
“the reason I started prioritising myself again.”
This grassroots movement became living proof of what WINGS stands for:
Transformation happens when people feel safe, supported and empowered — not just informed.
A Case Study in Real Impact
60% of women who regularly attended Tai Chi sessions reported improved sleep, reduced stress, or increased mobility.
40% noted a positive shift in emotional wellbeing or self-confidence.
Many began adopting nutrition and lifestyle practices shared during sessions, showing tangible improvements in energy, clarity and mood.
These results, combined with the depth of community connection, continue to reinforce our belief:
When culture — whether organisational or community-based — becomes healthier, people thrive.
And that is the heart of the WINGS mission.
Aims
The Women, Hormones & Health sessions aim to create a safe, supportive and culturally sensitive space where women can better understand their hormonal health and its impact on physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
The project seeks to:
- Increase awareness and understanding of hormonal changes across different life stages
- Reduce stigma, silence and misinformation around women’s health
- Support women to feel informed, confident and empowered in managing their wellbeing
- Promote preventative, lifestyle-based approaches to long-term health
- Strengthen connection, peer support and shared learning within the community
Objectives
Through a series of accessible and interactive sessions, the project will:
- Improve health literacy
Enable women to understand how hormones influence energy, mood, sleep, stress, metabolism and emotional wellbeing.
- Support early intervention & prevention
Help women recognise early signs of hormonal imbalance, stress overload and burnout, and understand when and how to seek support.
- Build practical self-care tools
Share simple, evidence-informed lifestyle practices around nutrition, movement, sleep, stress regulation and daily rhythms.
- Encourage mind–body awareness
Support women to tune into their bodies, cycles and signals with greater confidence and self-trust.
- Reduce isolation and increase connection
Create opportunities for shared discussion, reflection and peer support, particularly for women who may feel unheard or unsupported.
- Promote emotional resilience and confidence
Support women to feel more balanced, grounded and capable of managing life transitions such as menstruation changes, peri-menopause and menopause.
- Create sustainable wellbeing habits
Empower participants to make small, realistic changes that can be sustained beyond the sessions.
Long-Term Impact
The project aims to contribute to healthier, more informed and resilient women, who are better equipped to care for themselves, engage with healthcare services confidently, and support the wellbeing of their families and communities.