2023-03-31-accounts

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2022-23

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

The only patient and service user-led charity in Wales dedicated to achieving health equality for women, girls and people assigned female at birth.

Registered address: Office 5, Plas Eirias Business Centre, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29

Charity number: 1191069 Contact: info@ftww.org.uk Website: ftww.org.uk

Strategic Aims and Objectives ......................................................... 3 Chair’s Report................................................................................... 4 Engagement ..................................................................................... 5 Information, Support, Advocacy ....................................................... 6 Research, Reports, Responses ..................................................... 12 Collaborations, Coalitions ............................................................... 16 Resources ...................................................................................... 17 Media .............................................................................................. 19 Recognition..................................................................................... 23 Treasurer’s Report and Annual Accounts 2022-2023 .................... 24 FTWW Board of Trustees 2022-2023 ............................................ 27 Organisational details ..................................................................... 28

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Strategic Aims and Objectives

FTWW: Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales is the only patient and service user-led charity in Wales dedicated to achieving health equality for women, girls, and people assigned female at birth.

Our MISSION is to eliminate health inequalities in Wales for women, girls, and people assigned as female at birth.

Our VISION is a Wales where everybody’s right to good health and wellbeing is respected and fulfilled, with everyone able to access the healthcare they need, when they need it, and without barriers.

We achieve this by ensuring that the people we support have access to information so that they can

understand their health conditions better and know what services they need.

Through peer support we empower our members to gain confidence and be better equipped to manage and navigate their health care.

We bring researchers, policy makers, and service providers together with experts by experience to ensure female voices are heard, advocating for positive change in health and public service design and delivery.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Chair’s Report

I am pleased to present FTWW’s Annual Impact Report for 2022-23.

It has been another productive year, with plans in place to expand the Board of Directors, having identified a range of key skills which would complement and enhance the Board membership and enable the organisation to grow. Ahead of this, we worked with Joy Unlimited to develop a 3-year Strategic Plan and launched our bi-lingual mission statement.

Our volunteers have been pivotal, actively raising awareness of women’s health equality. They, together with our two amazing staff members, have contributed to a significant number of regional and national groups, forums, or boards such as the Disability Rights Taskforce, Mental Health Advisory Group and across several Welsh Government Cross Party Groups. Our proactive involvement has ensured that women’s health priorities are high on the agenda across policy and practice.

There have been a succession of notable highlights including co-Chairing the Women’s Health Wales Coalition with the British Heart Foundation Cymru which brought together a range of organisations, patient groups and advocates to produce a comprehensive report which was presented to Welsh Government. Consequently, FTWW met with the Minister for Health and Social Care, Eluned Morgan, and Welsh Government’s Women’s Health Policy.

Team to discuss the Minister’s commitment to an NHS Wales Women’s & Girls’ Health Plan. This a major step towards the recognition that women’s health is a priority for the Welsh Government.

FTWW has been involved in research programmes and activities which are investigating the impact of different health conditions on women and people assigned female at birth. There continues to be a lack of understanding on the part of public, professionals and employers which the charity actively seeks to address. FTWW effectively participated in a wide range of consultations and inquiries and had a significant amount of media coverage during the year, including in September which saw representation from FTWW on BBC Wales TV’s ‘Women’s Health Takeover’.

As we came to the end of the reporting year, we were pleased to receive several applications to join our Board and to begin making preparation to conduct interviews.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Staff, our Volunteers and Trustees for such a memorable, creative and prolific year showing that a small organisation can achieve big things. Well done, everyone! I hope those reading this report will appreciate how FTWW has had a major impact on raising awareness of the need for women’s health equality in Wales.

DR Sally Rees

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Engagement

2022-23 saw FTWW’s website continue to provide access to information that helps people better manage health-related conditions and get the healthcare they need.

5745 people 13,409 viewed our website visited

13,409 pages

72 involvement opportunities

and other communications shared

ranging from media requests to invitations to attend events, participate in groups or forums, and contribute to research surveys and activities

2010 followers 118,200 impressions

1692 group members

2089 page followers & 2006 likes

1631 651 followers people subscribed 10069 to the FTWW newsletter reach

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Information, Support, Advocacy

FTWW’s staff and volunteers regularly contributed to 49 groups, forums, or boards, ensuring that women’s health priorities and experiences in Wales were represented and taken into account in the development of policy, practice, and service development.

Patient Groups: This year, not only did we continue to co-host Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board’s Gynae Voices Forum, we also saw our patient members and volunteers participating in its Musculoskeletal Joint Advisory Group. FTWW has also been developing links with Hywel Dda Health Board to set up a Pelvic Wellbeing Patient Group, and working with Cardiff & Vale Health Board’s Long-Term Conditions Stakeholder Group.

Importantly, this year also saw the Senedd’s Health & Social Care Committee bring together a lived experience Mental Health Advisory Group in which some of FTWW’s members took part. All of these have been set up to centre patient voices, enabling participants to share their experiences, and help health boards and Senedd Members coproduce policy and practice with those who use services.

Policy Groups: On the back of last year’s Welsh Government-commissioned Locked Out report, which looked at the impact of Covid19 on disabled people in Wales, the Minister for Social Justice created a Disability Rights Taskforce, on which FTWW has been pleased to sit.

Key to the Taskforce’s understanding of widespread issues and barriers facing disabled people have been a number of Working Groups, all of which are Chaired by a disabled person. We’ve been delighted to participate in groups including ‘Accessible Services’, ‘Employment and Income’, and ‘Health and Wellbeing’, the latter of which is Chaired by FTWW trustee, Willow Holloway.

FTWW is also represented on Welsh Government’s Period Dignity Roundtable; Gender Equality Forum, and Disability Equality Forum.

In terms of groups calling for policy change outside of Wales, FTWW members continue to attend UK All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on topics related to female health whilst, back in Wales, we also participate on a number of Senedd Cross-Party Groups (CPGs).

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Perhaps most notably this year, FTWW joined with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) to provide the secretariat for the Women’s Health CPG, Chaired by Jenny Rathbone MS.

Clinical Groups: FTWW continues to provide third sector and patient representation on a range of groups across UK and Wales looking at clinical practice for the services our members use. These include the new NHS Wales Executive’s National Clinical Implementation Network for Gynaecology and, prior to that, Welsh Government Task & Finish Groups on Menstrual Disorders and Menopause. We also sit on the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Welsh Executive Committee and National Safety Advisory Group, and the Royal College of GPs’ patient & carer forums in Wales and UK.

Stakeholder Groups : These groups aim to bring together both those with lived experience of the issues at hand, and also equality & diversity champions from a range of organisations. Groups include Health Inspectorate Wales’s Equality Stakeholder Group, and the Public Services Ombudsman’s Equality Sounding Board.

Networking Groups: Connecting with other organisations working in the health and equality space is a vital part of FTWW’s mission – and this year saw us taking in our biggest project yet: co-Chairing the Women’s Health Wales Coalition alongside the British Heart Foundation Cymru. This third sector alliance has brought together equality organisations, health condition-specific charities, Royal Colleges, patient groups, researchers, and patient advocates – united in the aim of influencing the Welsh Government to co-produce a Women and Girls’ Health Plan for Wales. We’re delighted to say that this aim has been successful – more on that to follow.

FTWW’s staff and volunteers attended 23 conferences, events, and seminars on topics related to women’s health and intersectional health inequalities.

By attending these events, we were able to contribute the lived experience of health inequality, women’s health priorities, and insights into FTWW’s work, including how we can support partner organisations to better understand and accommodate women’s health-related needs.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Some of the key events during 2022-23 included:

Rosa UK’s Annual Conference , where FTWW presented on how to coproduce effective women’s health campaigns, and the work we have done here in Wales as co-Chairs of the third sector Women’s Health Wales Coalition.
WEN Wales & Oxfam Cymru’s Community Launch of their Feminist Scorecard for Wales . Not only did FTWW co-produce the section on gender health inequalities, one of our endometriosis champions, Beth, facilitated the in-person discussion on the topic at the Cardiff-based event.

Photo: FTWW volunteer Beth talking health inequality at Feminist Scorecard launch

The All-Wales Research Symposium on Personalising Support with Decisions about Reproductive Goals . We were delighted to receive a mention as key stakeholders in the Wales Kidney Research Unit & Bangor University ‘Pregnancy Choices with Kidney Disease’ programme.
The Ethnic Minority Women in Welsh Health Care’s Equality Event , which saw FTWW staff and volunteers attend in person to take part in discussions about intersectional inequality in health care.
Disability Wales’s Annual Conference and AGM ‘The Road to Rights’ . FTWW’s Engagement Officer, Dee, delivered a powerful keynote speech on the support she has received from FTWW as a patient and staff member in her quest to abolish ‘imposter syndrome’, so that disabled women feel confident about being equal partners in high-level decision-making.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The Rural Health and Care Wales Conference , where FTWW volunteer champions were able to contribute to discussions about ensuring equity of access to more specialised healthcare services when they are not available locally.
The Digital Health and Care Wales Symposium in Cardiff . FTWW volunteers have been members of the NHS Wales Digital Services for Public & Patients Group for some time, ensuring that things like the development of a patient app are accessible. Here, we were able to hear the Health Minister’s comments about the role of technology in improving patients’ access to healthcare.
The first All-Wales Menopause Network Conference for Healthcare Professionals , which saw FTWW’s Menopause Champions, Lisa and Lara (right) delivering presentations on the lived experience to a large in-person and online audience. They were joined by our Engagement Officer, who co-Chaired a Clinicians’ Question & Answer Session with questions from FTWW’s members.
A number of events at the Senedd , supporting Coalition members like the Samaritans, British Heart Foundation,
Fertility Network UK, and Endometriosis UK, and answering questions on the Wales patient experience, as well as contributing to the Equal Power, Equal Voice event, co-hosted by WEN Wales, Disability Wales, Stonewall Cymru and EYST.

Photo : FTWW and Endometriosis UK volunteers and staff at the Senedd in March 2023.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

FTWW participated in over 50 meetings and workshops on topics relating to disability and women’s health and wellbeing.

These have enabled us to raise awareness amongst a wide and diverse range of people and organisations. Some of these meetings now take place regularly so that we can continue to highlight where there are barriers and inequities which need to be addressed if we are to improve women’s health outcomes and wellbeing in Wales.

Some particularly significant examples include:

Meeting with Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board’s Directors of Mental Health as part of the development of a specialist perinatal mental health Mother-and-Baby unit in Chester for North Wales residents. We were pleased to make clear the need for joined-up care and Welsh language provision, and have since been involved in the scrutiny of artist’s impressions and plans for the unit.
Meeting with the Minister for Health and Social Care, Eluned Morgan, and Welsh Government’s Women’s Health Policy Team to discuss the Minister’s commitment to a NHS Wales Women’s & Girls’ Health Plan. We now meet regularly with the Policy Team to make sure that any developing Plan looks at issues beyond the scope of the NHS but which have significant impact on women’s health equality.
Discussions with the British Red Cross and the UK Patients’ Association about health inequities and how to address them, particularly in relation to women who are disabled and / or living with long-term health issues.
Meeting with representatives of the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee to explore how patients and third sector might be more involved in decision-making about the commissioning of specialist health services for people in Wales. We were particularly keen to highlight how postcode lotteries for care are impacting those with endometriosis and autoimmune diseases in Wales.
We also now meet regularly with the Senedd Research Team , to help them better understand and communicate to Senedd Members developments in women’s health, and Llais, the independent citizens’ voice body for Wales . Llais is able to take emerging themes around specific health and care challenges to the Welsh Government and health boards for their response so having ongoing conversations with these two bodies is very important.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

FTWW hosted or co-hosted 11 focus groups and one pan-Wales event with the aim of ensuring our members have the opportunity to share their views about particular health-related topics related in a safe and supportive space, discuss new developments in Wales, or simply learn new skills.

Some of our focus groups this year were held with visiting speakers, including the Welsh Government’s Period Dignity Leads, or an occupational therapist giving participants tips on ‘pacing’ activities when living with an energy-limiting condition.

Others have been more ‘formal’, with participants asked to feed into consultations on the NHS Wales Duties of Quality and Candour. We’ve also provided our members with the opportunity to come and discuss issues around menstrual health and menopause.

Our pan-Wales online event was this year co-hosted with Endometriosis UK and Chaired by Jenny Rathbone MS. Speakers included endometriosis specialists, Welsh Government, FTWW and EUK with almost 200 viewers in total.

Photo: EndoMarchers gathered on Cardiff steps in March 2023.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Research, Reports, Responses

This year saw FTWW involved in 11 research programmes and activities. This is one of our key objectives as a charity because, without research into the impact of different health conditions on women’s lives and wellbeing, we will continue to see a lack of understanding on the part of public and professionals, and a lack of investment in the services we need.

Some of the research projects FTWW has been supporting this year include incontinence challenges for women with chronic health conditions; autism, from menstruation to menopause; looking at the creation of a pain relief shared decision-making tool for patients in gynaecology outpatient settings, and the development of diagnostic tests for PCOS and endometriosis.

We’ve also been involved in work to digitalise the Endometriosis Cymru Symptom Reporting Tool, and co-producing a training course on ‘Severe Period Pain is Not Normal (SPPINN)’ for school nurses and other teaching professionals.

We also did some research of our own within our online community, to look at how many women in Wales were being offered pelvic physiotherapy for pelvic pain and associated conditions. The findings from this have been helping us make the case for more services and better access to them.

FTWW was amongst those asked to contribute to UK-wide research on funding for third sector organisations, including how effective the Tampon Tax grant funding had been, and if women’s charities and groups were as well-supported financially as they need to be. The results made for sobering reading, with less than 2 per cent of the total value of all grants recorded on 360Giving in 2021 going to women’s and girls’ organisations:https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/media/insights/documents/Womenand-Girls-Sector-Research-Mapping-Report-Final.pdf

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

In December 2022, FTWW and the Women’s Health Wales Coalition’s role in raising awareness of the need for more research in Wales became clear, as we were cited throughout Health & Care Research Wales’s Rapid Evidence Map for Women’s Health , an activity commissioned by the Health Minister, Eluned Morgan MS: https://healthandcareresearchwales.org/gender-inequalities-health-social-care

FTWW contributed to 16 publications & led on the creation of one panWales report this year, many of which have been particularly enlightening and ground-breaking, leading to vital discussions about patient needs in Wales.

We were particularly pleased to feed into the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ report ‘Left for Too Long’. The report showed that, since the pandemic, waiting lists for non-cancerous gynaecological conditions were the longest out of all specialties, evidence which helped to ensure that gynaecology is now on the NHS Wales Executive’s priority list for planned care recovery.

Much of this evidence was echoed in FTWW’s members’ stories and comments to the Senedd Health & Social Care Committee, whose report on NHS Wales waiting lists, ‘Waiting Well’ was published in May 2022.

FTWW featured as a case study in a number of publications this year, including the Royal College of Physicians’ ‘Mind the Gap’ report, exploring the wide-ranging causes and solutions to health inequality in Wales. We were also incredibly excited to have several pages dedicated to us in journalist, Sarah Graham’s book , ‘Rebel Bodies: a Guide to the Gender Health Gap Revolution’ , published in January of 2023

(Picture on right: The book cover of ‘Rebel Bodies - A guide to the gender health gap revolution’ by Sarah Graham)

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Perhaps most exciting of all for FTWW, was the publication of the Women’s Health Wales Coalition’s evidence, ‘A Quality Statement for the Health of Women, Girls, and those - Assigned Female at Birth’ https://www.ftww.org.uk/2021/wp content/uploads/2022/05/Womens-Health-Wales-Quality-Statement-English-FINAL.pdf

Launched on International Day of Action for Women’s Health in May, the document extends to 114 pages and has been instrumental in securing the Welsh Government’s commitment to a Women and Girls’ Health Plan for Wales . We are incredibly proud to have brought together a group of over 80 participants who share our aim of improving female health experiences, outcomes, and wider wellbeing in Wales.

Thanks to ongoing dialogue with our community, this year saw FTWW participating in 24 consultations and inquiries, imparting evidence relating to women’s health, wellbeing, challenges, and inequalities.

For some of these, we were also able to include – with members’ permission – anonymised case studies and quotes, which can very often bring evidence to life and add real impact. We cannot thank our members enough for sharing their stories in this way.

We’ve already mentioned some of the consultations to which FTWW contributed this year, but a few others include:

The Welsh Government’s Plan to Transform and Modernise Care and Reduce Waiting Lists .
The Senedd Equality & Social Justice Committee’s Inquiry into women’s experiences of the Criminal Justice System , where we also gave evidence in person to the Committee about women’s potential health needs in these spaces, and disabled women’s access to justice.
Health and Care Research Wales’s Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 , where we made clear the need to focus on better supporting the co-production of research with people with lived experience and their advocates.
The Senedd Health & Social Care Committee’s Inquiry into Gynaecological Cancers

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The Royal College of GPs’ 2023-2025 Strategy, ‘ Building a Sustainable Future for General Practice’
The British Standards Institute’s Workplace Standard for ‘Menstruation, Menstrual Health, and Menopause’
The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee’s consultation on access to fertility treatment in Wales
Health Education and Improvement Wales’s Training Plan for 2024 and MediumTerm Plans for 2023-2026 , where we emphasised the need to prioritise learning about women’s health and shared decision-making, but also clinical skills like the use of diagnostic ultrasound in gynaecology settings.

Picture on left: Front cover of Women’s Health Wales Coalition publication entitled ‘Women’s Health Wales: A Quality Statement for the Health of Women, Girls, ad those Assigned Female at Birth, 2022’

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Collaborations, Coalitions

FTWW believes that collaboration can be vital in drawing attention to women’s health issues and intersectional inequalities, and working out solutions. Through collaboration, we are able to avoid duplication of effort and, instead, amplify each other’s voices and effectively call for change.

This year saw FTWW involved in 13 projects, campaigns, and collaborative partnerships with other third sector organisations.

Supporting Asthma and Lung UK with their campaign to raise awareness of women’s increased risk of asthma attacks as a result of female hormone fluctuations
Taking part in discussions with Mind Cymru about the challenges in primary care and whether or not pharmacies always provide an accessible solution
Working with the National Federation of Women’s Institutes in Wales to raise awareness of their campaign around improving uptake of cervical screening, and a second campaign to highlight the challenges and needs of autistic females
Supporting the Campaign Against Painful Hysteroscopy to have the findings of their research heard in Wales, not least in clinical settings but also as part of a series of articles published by Patient Safety Learning.
Joining WEN Wales ’s award-winning Diverse 50/50 Campaign to see equal gender representation in the Senedd. We were pleased to be able to provide insights about the additional challenges facing women who are disabled or living with ongoing health challenges (not least the need to ensure support for managing menstruation and menopause in the workplace)!
Continuing to co-Chair the third sector Women’s Health Wales Coalition with the British Heart Foundation Cymru , ensuring not only that there will be a Welsh Government commitment to a 10-year Women & Girls’ Health Plan for the NHS in Wales but that the group is able to collate evidence for all sorts of inquiries and consultations which impact on the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of women, girls, and people assigned female at birth.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Resources

By ‘resources’, we mean the publication of new information that can be downloaded by our beneficiaries, but also training courses attended or delivered, grants awarded, and fundraisers organised. We also include our amazing volunteers, whom we consider to be one of our most valuable resources as a charity led by and for patients.

Training delivered: This year has seen FTWW facilitating discussions about the Women’s Health Wales Coalition with a number of organisations. We were also particularly pleased to be invited to present to General Practice Cluster Leads in Cardiff on the support offered to patients by FTWW, and how primary care could get involved in work to digitalise the Endometriosis Cymru Symptom Reporting Tool.

In addition, we’ve delivered more formal training to organisations on topics ranging from endometriosis and stress, menopause, and menstrual wellbeing in the workplace.

Training received: FTWW staff, trustees, and volunteers have benefited from various training courses throughout the year; some examples include, ‘Understanding & Using the Social Model of Disability’ with Disability Wales; ‘Measuring Impact’ with Smallwood Thrive; ‘Access & Reimbursement for Patient Groups involved in Research’ with Findacure / Beacon; ‘How to Implement Co-production’ with Coproduction Network Wales; and Safeguarding training.

Resources Published: FTWW was this year pleased to undertake work to develop a 3- year Strategic Plan with Joy Unlimited, and also launched our bi-lingual and downloadable Mission Infographic for 2023-25 here: https://www.ftww.org.uk/our-mission/

FTWW members with endometriosis also co-produced a Toolkit to assist the new endometriosis nurses in their role, with various tips and suggestions for how to best support patients with the condition.

Volunteers: This year saw FTWW’s Volunteer numbers grow to 70, with increasing numbers of our pan-Wales community’s members wanting to get involved, have their voices heard, and be supported in doing so.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Funding: We were delighted to support FTWW Menopause Champion, Lisa, to undertake an Ultra Marathon in aid of the charity. Her donations will enable us to update, translate, and print new FTWW ‘About Us’ and Menopause leaflets for wider distribution – thank you, Lisa.

This year has also seen us continue to be recipients of grants from the Rosa UK Fund for Women and Girls, and the Smallwood & Rosa Thrive Fund, and receive new funding from the Waterloo Foundation and Welsh Government’s Equality & Inclusion Programme.

Combined, this year’s grant funding has enabled us to double our staff to two, with FTWW’s Engagement Officer now joined by our Director of Policy and Research. Together with our trustees and volunteers, they have been able to ensure that FTWW continues to lead the way on women’s health equality in Wales, widening the charity’s reach, responding to calls for evidence, and influencing research, policy, and practice by empowering the patient voice.

We look forward to reporting on the impact this has had in next year’s report.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Media

This year has been a bumper year for media coverage, with FTWW staff / trustees / volunteers / members contributing to, or featuring in, 87 media items on the television, radio, podcasts, print or online news and blogs.

Some of the highlights are included below.

April – May 2022

Diagnostic delays and challenges accessing care for endometriosis in Wales received significant coverage by ITV Wales, culminating in a prime-time ‘Wales This Week’ documentary, ‘Living in Pain’, featuring FTWW’s Engagement Officer, Dee, and other volunteers: https://www.itv.com/walesprogrammes/articles/wales-thisweek-living-in-pain

Photo: A screenshot of FTWW Engagement Officer Dee talking about living with the pain of endometriosis on BBC Wales Today

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Bella Magazine showcased FTWW volunteer, Rachel’s story of endometriosis.

Photo: Bella Magazine’s feature of FTWW volunteer Rachel’s endometriosis story

BBC Wales saw FTWW staff and volunteers contributing to discussions about systemic problems accessing healthcare, particularly in gynaecology.
Shortages of HRT also hit the headlines, with FTWW providing commentary.
Women’s health more generally became a hot topic across Wales in May 2022 as FTWW and the Women’s Health Wales Coalition called on the Minister for Health & Social Care to commit to a plan which would address the escalating inequalities in women’s health being experienced.
From Senedd Members debating the issues around inequalities in healthcare in Plenary, to Wales Online talking fibroids, and the BBC highlighting the longer time to an autism diagnosis for females compared to males, May’s International Day of Action on Women’s Health saw the Coalition’s evidence take centre stage with women’s health making the news across mainstream media in Wales. This included coverage of the need for better support and care for women who experience serious bowel injuries caused by childbirth: Childbirth: Mum left feeling dirty by incontinence injuries - BBC News

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

June - August 2022

The Daily Mail featured FTWW’s Lucy and her calls for better pain relief during coil fittings.
FTWW Menopause Champions, Lisa and Llinos spoke to BBC Wales about the need for menopause specialists and more public awareness.
Volunteer, Kim, shared her story of having to turn to private healthcare in the face of growing NHS waiting lists.
FTWW was featured in coverage that highlighted the issues around accessing hormone-based medicines for contraception and symptom relief and the need for more research into Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
OK magazine covered the lived experiences of women in Wales living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).

September – December 2022

The Guardian published its exclusive survey results on patients having to go private amidst long NHS waiting lists, with FTWW Volunteer, Dee, their chosen case study.
A new venture during this period was BBC Wales TV’s 'Walescast: Women's Health Takeover' hosted by Jenny Rees, Health Correspondent. Consisting of two halfhour studio discussions, the first featured FTWW's Engagement Officer, Dee Montague whilst the following week saw Professor Jacky Boivin in the studio, discussing the Severe Period Pain is Not Normal (SPPINN) training course which FTWW has helped to develop.

Photo: FTWW staff feature on BBC Wales TV’s ‘Walescast’

The challenges of the menopause were covered by WalesOnline.
Growing NHS Wales gynaecology waiting lists featured in the Daily Mail.
The need for public services to be delivered sensitively and with compassion was top of the agenda in December 2022. FTWW’s Pregnancy Loss lead, Jess, spoke to BBC Wales news regarding calls for official baby loss certificates in Wales, whilst other members highlighted how advice about weight loss as part of fertility treatment was too often being delivered insensitively and with no signposting to practical support.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

January – March 2023

FTWW talked to the BBC World Service as part of its Health Check series.
Volunteers Kirsty and Lara discussed living with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) as part of Cardiff University’s international ‘Behind the Health Statistic’ podcast series.
February’s media primarily focused on the launch of Welsh Government’s Period Proud Wales Action Plan. The lived experiences of FTWW volunteers, Becci and Dee, were captured in short films made to ‘normalise the conversation (about periods) and encourage others…to be period proud’. https://www.gov.wales/periodproud-wales
March tends to concentrate on endometriosis awareness and we were delighted to support so many of our volunteers in sharing their endometriosis experiences with WalesOnline and BBC Wales, amongst others. In fact, their stories were powerful enough to inspire Huw Irranca-Davies MS to lead a debate on the subject in the Senedd.
FTWW members and volunteers also contributed to items on autism and lupus.
WCVA published a FTWW Blog on #EmbracingEquity in female health - WCVA for International Women’s Day, where we highlighted the inequalities women in Wales face when accessing healthcare whilst remaining optimistic of a more equitable future.

Photos: FTWW volunteers, Becci and Dee, share their stories as part of Welsh Government’s ‘Period Proud Wales’ campaign launch

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Recognition

We’re delighted to report that this year, FTWW’s online community, our volunteers, and our campaigning work on endometriosis were recognised through no fewer than five awards.

Beth Hales, one of FTWW’s long-standing volunteers, was highly commended in the WalesOnline Equality and Diversity Awards’ Gender Equality Champions Category for her campaigning on endometriosis, including a petition to the Senedd which garnered almost 6000 signatures.
FTWW won ‘Support Group of the Year’ at the second annual Welsh Women’s Awards in recognition of the peer support, friendship, solidarity, and involvement opportunities we offer through our pan-Wales online support & discussion group.
Wales’s endometriosis nurses, the creation of which role was amongst recommendations made by FTWW as part of a Welsh Government Task & Finish Group in 2018, won at the Welsh Pharmacy Awards for ‘Developments in Female Health’.
Rachel Joseph (right) FTWW Endometriosis Champion, won ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’ at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action’s Welsh Charity Awards for her efforts in raising awareness of women’s health inequalities, including contributing to research projects on severe period pain and gynaecological conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis.
Lisa Nicholls, FTWW Menopause Champion, was listed as one of Gwent’s most amazing and inspiring women, joining the South Wales Argus Hall of Fame for her tireless campaigning to improve menopause care for women across Wales.

Well done to all involved for their achievements and their ongoing work.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Treasurer’s Report and Annual Accounts 2022-2023

FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND ACCOUNTS

Summary of Financial Position 2022-23

The following is drawn for the accounts of the Organisation and provides an overview of financial activity for the period 1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023.

The Organisation brought forward a balance of £25,675.27 from 2021-22.

Income

Between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023, the organisation generated a total income of £64,807. This was an increase of £33,728 over the 2021/22 period.

A breakdown of sources of income is as follows:

Fundraising, Events and Donations ............................................. £2,799.51 Grants ......................................................................................... 56,235.71 Payment for Services .................................................................. £5,771.78 TOTAL ........................................................................................ £64,807.00

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The relative proportions of income can be seen in the chart below :

----- Start of picture text -----
Income
Grants Fundraising and Donations Payment for Services
----- End of picture text -----

A total of £56,234 in grant funding was received, comprising £23,736 from Welsh Government; £25,000 from the Waterloo foundation; £7,000 from Rosa and £500 from Local Giving Magic Little Grants. Of this funding, £32,272 is carried forward into 2023/24.

Funding from the grants was used for salary costs for our Director of Policy & Research, Engagement Officer, trustee and volunteer training and expenses, translation and IT costs.

Expenditure

Between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023 expended a total of £35,024.55 in furtherance of its aims and objectives.

A breakdown of expenditure is as follows:

Staff Costs ................................................................................... £20,214.41 Volunteer Reimbursement Costs ................................................. £245.23 Rent ............................................................................................. £4,320.00 Insurance ..................................................................................... £476.99

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Telephone ................................................................................... £538.18 IT equipment and licenses ........................................................... £2,233.98 Training and Development .......................................................... £72.00 Translation ................................................................................... £2,371.00 Consultancy (board development and bid writing) ....................... £2.450.00 Engagement ad Evaluation ......................................................... £1,540.88 Other costs ................................................................................. £561.88 TOTAL ........................................................................................ £35,024.55

The relative proportions of expenditure can be seen in the chart below:

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The closing balance of funds available to the organisation on the 31st March 2023 was £55,457.72.

The breakdown of restricted and unrestricted funds carried forward at 31st March 2023 is as follows:

Restricted .................................................................................... £6,953.52 Unrestricted ................................................................................. £48,504.20 TOTAL ........................................................................................ £55,457.72

I can confirm that these accounts have been subjected to an independent examination by Karen Cockings, ACCA-accredited Resources Manager, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, on 11[th] December 2023.

FTWW Board of Trustees 2022-2023

Chair: Dr Sally Rees

Treasurer: Tamira Rolls

Secretary: Jonathan Stevens

Trustee: Willow Holloway

Trustee: Julie Richards

Trustee: Claire Foster

Patient Adviser to the Board: Louise Evans

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Organisational details

Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (FTWW) is the only patient-led charity in Wales dedicated solely to female health equality.

We support, inform, educate, and empower girls, women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) in Wales who are suffering a range of health conditions and who are not receiving adequate (or fair) treatment. As ‘experts by experience’, we and our growing team of volunteers, advocate for women’s healthcare needs locally, nationally, and at a UK-level.

We are a formally constituted voluntary / not-for-profit organisation, registered with Community and Voluntary Support Conwy, a member of both the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and Disability Wales. In August 2020, we became a registered charity

Join our community

twitter.com/FTWW_WALES instagram.com/ftww_wales/ facebook.com/FTWW.Wales

Subscribe to our newsletter here:

- https://www.ftww.org.uk/contact us/membership form/

Registered address: Office 5, Plas Eirias Business Centre, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29

Charity number: 1191069 Contact: info@ftww.org.uk Website: fttw.org.uk

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

	Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales	Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales	Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales	1191069	CC16a
	For the period from	4/1/2022	To	3/31/2023

Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Grants 27,686 Donations 2,800 Recharge income 5,772 - - - - - 36,258 - - Sub total - Total receipts 36,258 A3 Payments Salarycosts Payroll admin / HR support Volunteer expenses 167 Rent 720 Insurance IT 224 Staff trainingand development 632 Telephone 87 Translation 327 Engagement and events 541 Website Dvy Other 49 Sub total 2,747 - - Sub total - Total payments 2,747 Net of receipts/(payments) 33,511 A5 Transfers between funds - A6 Cash funds last year end 14,995 Cash funds this year end 48,506 Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ *Sub total*(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)		to the nearest £ 28,550 - - - - - - - 28,550 - - - 28,550 20,214 435 78 3,600 477 2,010 1,890 451 2,044 1,000 78 32,277 - - - 32,277 - 3,727 - 10,680 6,953 Restricted funds	to the nearest £ Endowment funds	Total funds to the nearest £ 56,236 2,800 5,772 - - - - - 64,808 - - - 64,808 20,214 435 245 4,320 477 2,234 2,522 538 2,371 1,541 - 127 35,024 - - - 35,024 29,784 - 25,675 55,459	Last year to the nearest £
			- - - - - - - - -	56,236	26,750
				2,800	2,355
				5,772	1,975
				-	-
				-	-
				-	-
				-	-
				-	-
				64,808	31,080

			- - -	-
				-	-
				-	-

			-	64,808	31,080

			- - - - - - - - - -	20,214	7,482
				435	290
				245	358
				4,320	4,680
				477	514
				2,234	759
				2,522	4,245
				538	413
				2,371	2,412
				1,541
				-	561
				127	850
				35,024	22,564

			- - -	-
				-
				-	-

			-	35,024	22,564

		- 3,727	- - - -	29,784	8,516
		-		-
		10,680		25,675	17,159
		6,953		55,459	25,675

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period	Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use	Details Grant Unrestricted Details Details Details Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	to nearest £ - 48,506 - 48,506 OK to nearest £ - - - - - - Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates	to nearest £ 6,953 - - 6,953 OK to nearest £ - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Restricted funds Restricted funds Amount due (optional)	to nearest £ Endowment funds
				-

				-
				-
				OK
				to nearest £ Endowment funds
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				Current value (optional)
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				Current value (optional)
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				-
				When due (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

Signature	Print Name Tamira Rolls	Date of approval
	Tamira Rolls	1/20/2023

2022-23

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

The only patient and service user-led charity in Wales dedicated to achieving health equality for women, girls and people assigned female at birth.

Registered address: Office 5, Plas Eirias Business Centre, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29

Charity number: 1191069 Contact: info@ftww.org.uk Website: ftww.org.uk

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Strategic Aims and Objectives

FTWW: Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales is the only patient and service user-led charity in Wales dedicated to achieving health equality for women, girls, and people assigned female at birth.

Our MISSION is to eliminate health inequalities in Wales for women, girls, and people assigned as female at birth.

We achieve this by ensuring that the people we support have access to information so that they can

understand their health conditions better and know what services they need.

Through peer support we empower our members to gain confidence and be better equipped to manage and navigate their health care.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Chair’s Report

I am pleased to present FTWW’s Annual Impact Report for 2022-23.

Team to discuss the Minister’s commitment to an NHS Wales Women’s & Girls’ Health Plan. This a major step towards the recognition that women’s health is a priority for the Welsh Government.

As we came to the end of the reporting year, we were pleased to receive several applications to join our Board and to begin making preparation to conduct interviews.

DR Sally Rees

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Engagement

2022-23 saw FTWW’s website continue to provide access to information that helps people better manage health-related conditions and get the healthcare they need.

5745 people 13,409 viewed our website visited

13,409 pages

72 involvement opportunities

and other communications shared

ranging from media requests to invitations to attend events, participate in groups or forums, and contribute to research surveys and activities

2010 followers 118,200 impressions

1692 group members

2089 page followers & 2006 likes

1631 651 followers people subscribed 10069 to the FTWW newsletter reach

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Information, Support, Advocacy

FTWW is also represented on Welsh Government’s Period Dignity Roundtable; Gender Equality Forum, and Disability Equality Forum.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Perhaps most notably this year, FTWW joined with the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) to provide the secretariat for the Women’s Health CPG, Chaired by Jenny Rathbone MS.

FTWW’s staff and volunteers attended 23 conferences, events, and seminars on topics related to women’s health and intersectional health inequalities.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Some of the key events during 2022-23 included:

Rosa UK’s Annual Conference , where FTWW presented on how to coproduce effective women’s health campaigns, and the work we have done here in Wales as co-Chairs of the third sector Women’s Health Wales Coalition.
WEN Wales & Oxfam Cymru’s Community Launch of their Feminist Scorecard for Wales . Not only did FTWW co-produce the section on gender health inequalities, one of our endometriosis champions, Beth, facilitated the in-person discussion on the topic at the Cardiff-based event.

Photo: FTWW volunteer Beth talking health inequality at Feminist Scorecard launch

The All-Wales Research Symposium on Personalising Support with Decisions about Reproductive Goals . We were delighted to receive a mention as key stakeholders in the Wales Kidney Research Unit & Bangor University ‘Pregnancy Choices with Kidney Disease’ programme.
The Ethnic Minority Women in Welsh Health Care’s Equality Event , which saw FTWW staff and volunteers attend in person to take part in discussions about intersectional inequality in health care.
Disability Wales’s Annual Conference and AGM ‘The Road to Rights’ . FTWW’s Engagement Officer, Dee, delivered a powerful keynote speech on the support she has received from FTWW as a patient and staff member in her quest to abolish ‘imposter syndrome’, so that disabled women feel confident about being equal partners in high-level decision-making.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The Rural Health and Care Wales Conference , where FTWW volunteer champions were able to contribute to discussions about ensuring equity of access to more specialised healthcare services when they are not available locally.
The Digital Health and Care Wales Symposium in Cardiff . FTWW volunteers have been members of the NHS Wales Digital Services for Public & Patients Group for some time, ensuring that things like the development of a patient app are accessible. Here, we were able to hear the Health Minister’s comments about the role of technology in improving patients’ access to healthcare.
The first All-Wales Menopause Network Conference for Healthcare Professionals , which saw FTWW’s Menopause Champions, Lisa and Lara (right) delivering presentations on the lived experience to a large in-person and online audience. They were joined by our Engagement Officer, who co-Chaired a Clinicians’ Question & Answer Session with questions from FTWW’s members.
A number of events at the Senedd , supporting Coalition members like the Samaritans, British Heart Foundation,
Fertility Network UK, and Endometriosis UK, and answering questions on the Wales patient experience, as well as contributing to the Equal Power, Equal Voice event, co-hosted by WEN Wales, Disability Wales, Stonewall Cymru and EYST.

Photo : FTWW and Endometriosis UK volunteers and staff at the Senedd in March 2023.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

FTWW participated in over 50 meetings and workshops on topics relating to disability and women’s health and wellbeing.

Some particularly significant examples include:

Meeting with Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board’s Directors of Mental Health as part of the development of a specialist perinatal mental health Mother-and-Baby unit in Chester for North Wales residents. We were pleased to make clear the need for joined-up care and Welsh language provision, and have since been involved in the scrutiny of artist’s impressions and plans for the unit.
Meeting with the Minister for Health and Social Care, Eluned Morgan, and Welsh Government’s Women’s Health Policy Team to discuss the Minister’s commitment to a NHS Wales Women’s & Girls’ Health Plan. We now meet regularly with the Policy Team to make sure that any developing Plan looks at issues beyond the scope of the NHS but which have significant impact on women’s health equality.
Discussions with the British Red Cross and the UK Patients’ Association about health inequities and how to address them, particularly in relation to women who are disabled and / or living with long-term health issues.
Meeting with representatives of the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee to explore how patients and third sector might be more involved in decision-making about the commissioning of specialist health services for people in Wales. We were particularly keen to highlight how postcode lotteries for care are impacting those with endometriosis and autoimmune diseases in Wales.
We also now meet regularly with the Senedd Research Team , to help them better understand and communicate to Senedd Members developments in women’s health, and Llais, the independent citizens’ voice body for Wales . Llais is able to take emerging themes around specific health and care challenges to the Welsh Government and health boards for their response so having ongoing conversations with these two bodies is very important.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Photo: EndoMarchers gathered on Cardiff steps in March 2023.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Research, Reports, Responses

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

(Picture on right: The book cover of ‘Rebel Bodies - A guide to the gender health gap revolution’ by Sarah Graham)

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

We’ve already mentioned some of the consultations to which FTWW contributed this year, but a few others include:

The Welsh Government’s Plan to Transform and Modernise Care and Reduce Waiting Lists .
The Senedd Equality & Social Justice Committee’s Inquiry into women’s experiences of the Criminal Justice System , where we also gave evidence in person to the Committee about women’s potential health needs in these spaces, and disabled women’s access to justice.
Health and Care Research Wales’s Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 , where we made clear the need to focus on better supporting the co-production of research with people with lived experience and their advocates.
The Senedd Health & Social Care Committee’s Inquiry into Gynaecological Cancers

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The Royal College of GPs’ 2023-2025 Strategy, ‘ Building a Sustainable Future for General Practice’
The British Standards Institute’s Workplace Standard for ‘Menstruation, Menstrual Health, and Menopause’
The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee’s consultation on access to fertility treatment in Wales
Health Education and Improvement Wales’s Training Plan for 2024 and MediumTerm Plans for 2023-2026 , where we emphasised the need to prioritise learning about women’s health and shared decision-making, but also clinical skills like the use of diagnostic ultrasound in gynaecology settings.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Collaborations, Coalitions

This year saw FTWW involved in 13 projects, campaigns, and collaborative partnerships with other third sector organisations.

Supporting Asthma and Lung UK with their campaign to raise awareness of women’s increased risk of asthma attacks as a result of female hormone fluctuations
Taking part in discussions with Mind Cymru about the challenges in primary care and whether or not pharmacies always provide an accessible solution
Working with the National Federation of Women’s Institutes in Wales to raise awareness of their campaign around improving uptake of cervical screening, and a second campaign to highlight the challenges and needs of autistic females
Supporting the Campaign Against Painful Hysteroscopy to have the findings of their research heard in Wales, not least in clinical settings but also as part of a series of articles published by Patient Safety Learning.
Joining WEN Wales ’s award-winning Diverse 50/50 Campaign to see equal gender representation in the Senedd. We were pleased to be able to provide insights about the additional challenges facing women who are disabled or living with ongoing health challenges (not least the need to ensure support for managing menstruation and menopause in the workplace)!
Continuing to co-Chair the third sector Women’s Health Wales Coalition with the British Heart Foundation Cymru , ensuring not only that there will be a Welsh Government commitment to a 10-year Women & Girls’ Health Plan for the NHS in Wales but that the group is able to collate evidence for all sorts of inquiries and consultations which impact on the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of women, girls, and people assigned female at birth.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Resources

In addition, we’ve delivered more formal training to organisations on topics ranging from endometriosis and stress, menopause, and menstrual wellbeing in the workplace.

FTWW members with endometriosis also co-produced a Toolkit to assist the new endometriosis nurses in their role, with various tips and suggestions for how to best support patients with the condition.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

We look forward to reporting on the impact this has had in next year’s report.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Media

Some of the highlights are included below.

April – May 2022

Diagnostic delays and challenges accessing care for endometriosis in Wales received significant coverage by ITV Wales, culminating in a prime-time ‘Wales This Week’ documentary, ‘Living in Pain’, featuring FTWW’s Engagement Officer, Dee, and other volunteers: https://www.itv.com/walesprogrammes/articles/wales-thisweek-living-in-pain

Photo: A screenshot of FTWW Engagement Officer Dee talking about living with the pain of endometriosis on BBC Wales Today

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Bella Magazine showcased FTWW volunteer, Rachel’s story of endometriosis.

Photo: Bella Magazine’s feature of FTWW volunteer Rachel’s endometriosis story

BBC Wales saw FTWW staff and volunteers contributing to discussions about systemic problems accessing healthcare, particularly in gynaecology.
Shortages of HRT also hit the headlines, with FTWW providing commentary.
Women’s health more generally became a hot topic across Wales in May 2022 as FTWW and the Women’s Health Wales Coalition called on the Minister for Health & Social Care to commit to a plan which would address the escalating inequalities in women’s health being experienced.
From Senedd Members debating the issues around inequalities in healthcare in Plenary, to Wales Online talking fibroids, and the BBC highlighting the longer time to an autism diagnosis for females compared to males, May’s International Day of Action on Women’s Health saw the Coalition’s evidence take centre stage with women’s health making the news across mainstream media in Wales. This included coverage of the need for better support and care for women who experience serious bowel injuries caused by childbirth: Childbirth: Mum left feeling dirty by incontinence injuries - BBC News

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

June - August 2022

The Daily Mail featured FTWW’s Lucy and her calls for better pain relief during coil fittings.
FTWW Menopause Champions, Lisa and Llinos spoke to BBC Wales about the need for menopause specialists and more public awareness.
Volunteer, Kim, shared her story of having to turn to private healthcare in the face of growing NHS waiting lists.
FTWW was featured in coverage that highlighted the issues around accessing hormone-based medicines for contraception and symptom relief and the need for more research into Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
OK magazine covered the lived experiences of women in Wales living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).

September – December 2022

The Guardian published its exclusive survey results on patients having to go private amidst long NHS waiting lists, with FTWW Volunteer, Dee, their chosen case study.
A new venture during this period was BBC Wales TV’s 'Walescast: Women's Health Takeover' hosted by Jenny Rees, Health Correspondent. Consisting of two halfhour studio discussions, the first featured FTWW's Engagement Officer, Dee Montague whilst the following week saw Professor Jacky Boivin in the studio, discussing the Severe Period Pain is Not Normal (SPPINN) training course which FTWW has helped to develop.

Photo: FTWW staff feature on BBC Wales TV’s ‘Walescast’

The challenges of the menopause were covered by WalesOnline.
Growing NHS Wales gynaecology waiting lists featured in the Daily Mail.
The need for public services to be delivered sensitively and with compassion was top of the agenda in December 2022. FTWW’s Pregnancy Loss lead, Jess, spoke to BBC Wales news regarding calls for official baby loss certificates in Wales, whilst other members highlighted how advice about weight loss as part of fertility treatment was too often being delivered insensitively and with no signposting to practical support.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

January – March 2023

FTWW talked to the BBC World Service as part of its Health Check series.
Volunteers Kirsty and Lara discussed living with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) as part of Cardiff University’s international ‘Behind the Health Statistic’ podcast series.
February’s media primarily focused on the launch of Welsh Government’s Period Proud Wales Action Plan. The lived experiences of FTWW volunteers, Becci and Dee, were captured in short films made to ‘normalise the conversation (about periods) and encourage others…to be period proud’. https://www.gov.wales/periodproud-wales
March tends to concentrate on endometriosis awareness and we were delighted to support so many of our volunteers in sharing their endometriosis experiences with WalesOnline and BBC Wales, amongst others. In fact, their stories were powerful enough to inspire Huw Irranca-Davies MS to lead a debate on the subject in the Senedd.
FTWW members and volunteers also contributed to items on autism and lupus.
WCVA published a FTWW Blog on #EmbracingEquity in female health - WCVA for International Women’s Day, where we highlighted the inequalities women in Wales face when accessing healthcare whilst remaining optimistic of a more equitable future.

Photos: FTWW volunteers, Becci and Dee, share their stories as part of Welsh Government’s ‘Period Proud Wales’ campaign launch

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Recognition

We’re delighted to report that this year, FTWW’s online community, our volunteers, and our campaigning work on endometriosis were recognised through no fewer than five awards.

Beth Hales, one of FTWW’s long-standing volunteers, was highly commended in the WalesOnline Equality and Diversity Awards’ Gender Equality Champions Category for her campaigning on endometriosis, including a petition to the Senedd which garnered almost 6000 signatures.
FTWW won ‘Support Group of the Year’ at the second annual Welsh Women’s Awards in recognition of the peer support, friendship, solidarity, and involvement opportunities we offer through our pan-Wales online support & discussion group.
Wales’s endometriosis nurses, the creation of which role was amongst recommendations made by FTWW as part of a Welsh Government Task & Finish Group in 2018, won at the Welsh Pharmacy Awards for ‘Developments in Female Health’.
Rachel Joseph (right) FTWW Endometriosis Champion, won ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’ at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action’s Welsh Charity Awards for her efforts in raising awareness of women’s health inequalities, including contributing to research projects on severe period pain and gynaecological conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis.
Lisa Nicholls, FTWW Menopause Champion, was listed as one of Gwent’s most amazing and inspiring women, joining the South Wales Argus Hall of Fame for her tireless campaigning to improve menopause care for women across Wales.

Well done to all involved for their achievements and their ongoing work.

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Treasurer’s Report and Annual Accounts 2022-2023

FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND ACCOUNTS

Summary of Financial Position 2022-23

The following is drawn for the accounts of the Organisation and provides an overview of financial activity for the period 1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023.

The Organisation brought forward a balance of £25,675.27 from 2021-22.

Income

Between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023, the organisation generated a total income of £64,807. This was an increase of £33,728 over the 2021/22 period.

A breakdown of sources of income is as follows:

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The relative proportions of income can be seen in the chart below :

----- Start of picture text -----
Income
Grants Fundraising and Donations Payment for Services
----- End of picture text -----

Funding from the grants was used for salary costs for our Director of Policy & Research, Engagement Officer, trustee and volunteer training and expenses, translation and IT costs.

Expenditure

Between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023 expended a total of £35,024.55 in furtherance of its aims and objectives.

A breakdown of expenditure is as follows:

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The relative proportions of expenditure can be seen in the chart below:

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

The closing balance of funds available to the organisation on the 31st March 2023 was £55,457.72.

The breakdown of restricted and unrestricted funds carried forward at 31st March 2023 is as follows:

FTWW Board of Trustees 2022-2023

Chair: Dr Sally Rees

Treasurer: Tamira Rolls

Secretary: Jonathan Stevens

Trustee: Willow Holloway

Trustee: Julie Richards

Trustee: Claire Foster

Patient Adviser to the Board: Louise Evans

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

Organisational details

Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales (FTWW) is the only patient-led charity in Wales dedicated solely to female health equality.

Join our community

twitter.com/FTWW_WALES instagram.com/ftww_wales/ facebook.com/FTWW.Wales

Subscribe to our newsletter here:

- https://www.ftww.org.uk/contact us/membership form/

Registered address: Office 5, Plas Eirias Business Centre, Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29

Charity number: 1191069 Contact: info@ftww.org.uk Website: fttw.org.uk

FTWW | Annual Impact Report 2022 / 23

2022-23

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

Contents

Strategic Aims and Objectives

Chair’s Report

I am pleased to present FTWW’s Annual Impact Report for 2022-23.

DR Sally Rees

Engagement

13,409 pages

Top 3 content pages:

72

involvement opportunities

and other communications shared

Information, Support, Advocacy

Some particularly significant examples include:

Research, Reports, Responses

Collaborations, Coalitions

Resources

Media

Some of the highlights are included below.

April – May 2022

June - August 2022

September – December 2022

Photo: FTWW staff feature on BBC Wales TV’s ‘Walescast’

January – March 2023

Recognition

Well done to all involved for their achievements and their ongoing work.

Treasurer’s Report and Annual Accounts 2022-2023

Summary of Financial Position 2022-23

Income

The relative proportions of income can be seen in the chart below :

Expenditure

FTWW Board of Trustees 2022-2023

Organisational details

Join our community

2022-23

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

Contents

Strategic Aims and Objectives

Chair’s Report

I am pleased to present FTWW’s Annual Impact Report for 2022-23.

DR Sally Rees

Engagement

13,409 pages

Top 3 content pages:

72

involvement opportunities

and other communications shared

Information, Support, Advocacy

Some particularly significant examples include:

Research, Reports, Responses

Collaborations, Coalitions

Resources

Media

Some of the highlights are included below.

April – May 2022

June - August 2022

September – December 2022

Photo: FTWW staff feature on BBC Wales TV’s ‘Walescast’

January – March 2023

Recognition

Well done to all involved for their achievements and their ongoing work.

Treasurer’s Report and Annual Accounts 2022-2023

Summary of Financial Position 2022-23

Income

The relative proportions of income can be seen in the chart below :

Expenditure

FTWW Board of Trustees 2022-2023

Organisational details

Join our community