Menopause Champion - Finalists

Award sponsor James James Kitchens

Samantha Garston

We asked Samantha how it felt to be a finalist and she told us this...........

"There’s so much stigma wrapped around periods, and for a long time, that made what I do feel like shouting into the void. So to have this work recognised feels bigger than me. It means these conversations are finally being heard, and that makes me hopeful."

Samantha told us a little bit more about her and her work...........

Meet Samantha – aka The Period Princess.

Inclusion specialist and educator in menstrual wellness and neurodiversity.

🩸 She’s on a mission to change the conversation about being in a body that bleeds.

Samantha’s goal is to give women and people with periods the 'missing education' they never got at school, so they can work with their body’s natural rhythms, not against them.

As an autistic ADHDer and Certified Cycle Coach, she collaborates with organisations that genuinely care about putting period stigma where it belongs: in the bin.

Through her Bloody Marvellous workshops, talks and training, she helps create inclusive spaces where every body AND brain can shine.

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Vonayi Nyamazana

Following being announced as a finalist Vonayi told us .............

I feel honoured and deeply humbled to be a finalist in the Menopause Champion category at the upcoming ALL4INCLUSION Awards. This isn’t just a personal achievement—it’s a powerful affirmation that the work I’ve dedicated myself to matters.

For so long, menopause, especially in Black African communities, has been surrounded by silence and shame. Being recognised as a finalist means that those silent stories are finally being seen and valued.

It feels like a moment to celebrate not just my journey, but the journeys of so many women who thought they had to walk this path alone.

I feel encouraged to keep going, to keep amplifying voices, and to keep creating safe, culturally grounded spaces for women to thrive through menopause and beyond.

As a Black African woman who went through a turbulent menopause journey, I made it my mission to turn pain into purpose—to advocate, educate, and create safe, culturally resonant spaces for other women walking the same path.

My work is about ensuring that no woman, especially from underrepresented communities, feels unseen or unheard in her midlife transition.

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Anél Quilliam

We asked Anel what it was like to be announced as a finalist and she this is what she said ...........

"Finding out I'm a finalist for The All 4 Inclusion Awards, in the Menopause Champion of the Year category, is just incredibly humbling, and motivating.

This recognition means the world and just makes me even more determined to keep championing and raising awareness of this very natural part of women’s lives."

We asked Anel to tell us a little more about herself.......

"As the host of the, ‘Mad with the Menopause’, podcast, I've created a platform that empowers women (and men), by sharing honest conversations and expert insights on menopause.

My mission is to break the taboo, ensuring everyone feels informed, supported, and understood during this significant, but very natural, life stage."

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Liz Rowlands

We asked Liz what it felt like to be a finalist.........

"I’m absolutely honoured to be recognised as a finalist in the Menopause Champion category. This means so much because it validates the importance of the work I do to make menopause support a priority in every workplace and community."

Liz told us a little more about her work........

I’m a workplace menopause trainer, coach, and speaker on a mission to ensure no one has to struggle through menopause unsupported like I did.

Since launching my business, I’ve supported hundreds of people across sectors including manufacturing, civil service, education, and finance, and developed policies and bespoke programmes that drive real, lasting change.

My aim is to break the taboo of menopause and normalise the conversation to help people embrace this natural part of life. I bring together my skills, knowledge and experience in mental health, education and training, women’s health and most of all lived, authentic experience to support as many people as possible. Through my journey, I hope to help others.

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Tate Smith

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Niki Woods

After being announced as a finalist Niki told us............

I feel really honoured to have been nominated, and to become a finalist in this category for the second year running, as there are so many others also working passionately to support and educate around menopause. To help others is a privilege, to be recognised for doing so is the icing on the cake!

We asked Niki to tell us a little more about how she helps others .........

The last year has seen my book The Man's Guide To Menopause turn one & also be released on Audible. It's also been the year I launched my CIC (Best Midlife CIC) & have been privileged to support women in Leeds & Yorkshire thanks to funding from Leeds City Council & the National Lottery. And of course I've continued to support and educate businesses and individual women clients too!