Diaries of the Pause: No One Told Me 🩷
For the symptoms that show up uninvited… send this to someone who gets it!
#NotAllPausesAreTheSame
#MenoFitxSportingEquals #perimenopause #menopause
Great mental health care isn’t
just clinical – it’s human.
That’s why we’re supporting
Mind, whose dedicated experts
provide life-changing support
that really does make a
difference.
Because no one should have to
face a mental health problem
alone.
Together, Zoiey and Didi offer hard-won insights for athletes, coaches, parents, and governing bodies committed to advancing EDI across sport and physical activity:
▶See the athlete, not the inspiration: Respect para-athletes as the elite competitors they are. Framing matters for who feels welcome and who feels seen.
▶Don't let anyone push you out: Equality in sport means letting people be the judge of what they can and cannot do. Clubs that dismiss disabled young people as risks are losing extraordinary talent.
▶Reform starts at the grassroots: Underrepresentation begins early. More connection between hospitals, charities, and governing bodies could open the pipeline. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.
▶Make space for vulnerability: Real inclusion means making room for every part of a person's identity, regardless of race or disability, not just the parts that are easy to celebrate.
▶Know when to step back: Didi took a six-week break in a Paralympic year. It was the decision that got her to Paris.
Click to view podcast using the link in bio
Still reminiscing on the incredible Sporting Equals Awards 2026 ✨
We are honoured to celebrate and highlight the outstanding success achieved by individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds, whose journeys continue to inspire change across sport and beyond.
Creating environments where people feel accepted, valued, and empowered is essential in inspiring the next generation and influencing stakeholders to drive meaningful progress.
Stay tuned as we share a series of blogs spotlighting each award winner and their inspiring stories 🏆
#SportingEqualsAwards #SportingEquals #DiversityInSport #Inclusion #RepresentationMatters #InspireTheNextGeneration #UnitingTheMovement
@mindcharity WELLBEING AWARD FINALIST !!
Still reminiscing on the amazing evening at @sportingequals awards, such a pleasure being amongst so many inspiring people. Lemar was a great suprise too ! 😂
Although we didn’t win, we are honoured to be a part of celebration and to be recognised for all our hard work alongside incredible organisations. It is so important for under represented communities like ours have access, health support and to feel that everyone can belong outdoors. 🌱
We of course took our lovely Melissa (community engagement manager) who has built so many relationships with members of our community to access support . This has allowed us to build engagement and make a difference to people’s mental health, whilst reconnecting with nature.
Thank you Melissa, our amazing team abs @mindcharity and @sportingequals for having us 💚
Leanne x
Being told you're an "injury risk" when your disability was simply never understood. Walking around the Paralympic Village and counting the people who look like you on one hand. These are not abstract barriers, they are the lived reality of navigating sport as a Black disabled athlete in Britain, where race, equity, and fairness are still far from guaranteed.
In this episode of Equity in Action, Zoiey Smale, Disability, Access, and Inclusion Consultant and Sports Presenter, is joined by Didi Okoh - bronze medal-winning Paralympian in the T63 100m at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and Sporting Equals Ambassador. Diagnosed with Lymphedema after years of misunderstanding and dismissed by her club as injury-prone, Didi's route into para-athletics was anything but straightforward. Hers is a story of extraordinary self-belief in the face of systems not built with diversity, inclusion, or fairness in mind.
View our latest podcast using the link in bio
This is your reminder that this stage can also be about becoming something new! 🩷
#DiariesOfThePause
#NotAllPausesAreTheSame #MenoFitxSportingEquals #menopause #perimenopause
Great to see @togethertennis@togethertennisuk bringing their awards trophy to their training session.
A big well done to the team on their amazing win 🏆
Supporting sport isn’t just about the game it’s about supporting people at every stage of life. That’s why backing Act Now, Age Better matters. Together, we can help create opportunities for older adults to stay active, connected, and thriving.
@age_uk
Menopause doesn’t come with a manual, so we made one, one tip at a time 🩷
#NotAllPausesAreTheSame #MenoMondays #MenoFitxSportingEquals #menopause #perimenopause
