Georgina Donnelly, 48, from Chorlton, has launched Manchester's Menopause Yoga Club after perimenopause left her feeling as though she was losing herself. The club aims to help other women facing the same experience feel less alone.
Donnelly struggled with changes to her sleep, mood, confidence and body while continuing to manage family life and everyday pressures. She found the experience deeply isolating, despite knowing millions of women go through menopause.
A career shift after perimenopause
Before her own experience of perimenopause changed her path, Donnelly worked as a television producer on programmes including Michael Parkinson's chat show and Loose Women. She later returned to her native Manchester and became involved in charitable projects supporting girls who struggled within conventional education. In that work, she used yoga, breathwork and positive visualisation to help young women build confidence and self-esteem.
It was only when she experienced perimenopause herself that she understood how powerful those tools could be for women in midlife. Her sessions grew from smaller gatherings combining Yin yoga, Yoga Nidra, journalling and open conversation.
A space to connect and listen
Donnelly said: “I realised there was this huge group of women who were trying to carry on with jobs, families and all the other pressures of life while sometimes feeling completely unlike themselves.”
She added: “I wanted to create somewhere women could walk through the door and immediately know they didn't have to explain or apologise for what they were going through.”
Her approach does not promote a single right way to navigate menopause. Instead, she wants women to have the space and confidence to work out what makes them feel better. “There is enormous value in slowing down, breathing, resting and learning to listen to what your body is telling you,” she said.
Wellness day with a silent rave
To mark Menopause Awareness Month, Menopause Yoga Club is hosting a full day of wellbeing at Stretford Public Hall on Saturday, October 17. The event will include expert conversations about menopause and pelvic health, yoga, strength work, breathwork and mindful movement, plus lunch, wellbeing activities, chair massages, crystal therapies and shopping stalls.
The day will end with a silent wellness rave, where women will wear headphones and dance together. Donnelly said: “Menopause shouldn’t only be about symptoms. We’re still women who want to have fun, dance, laugh, make friends and enjoy ourselves. I want women to leave feeling better than when they arrived.”
The event runs from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Tickets are £40, with a 2-for-1 offer available until October 15, 2026.
