# Rachel Weiss (Perth)

British counsellor, teacher and social entrepreneur based in Perth, Scotland, who set up the Menopause Café
Rachel Weiss (born 1966) is British counsellor, teacher and social entrepreneur based in Perth, Scotland, who set up the Menopause Café model which has become a global movement. Starting from the first café in Perth in 2017, there are now cafés across the world that promote conversation about menopause. She has received the Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award 2018and the Association of Scottish Businesswomen (ASB) Lifetime Achievement Award 2024.

## Early life and education

Weiss was born in London in 1966. Her virilogist father Robin Weiss was born in London to German Jewish refugees. Her mother, a teacher, had moved to the UK from Singapore in the 1960s.
Weiss won a scholarship to work as a computer programmer, at what is now Plymouth Marjon University, before attending Oxford to study Mathematics.
Weiss moved to the University of Edinburgh for her postgraduate study in artificial intelligence, obtaining a MSc in 1990. She then undertook teaching training in Northern College, Aberdeen (now part of the University of Aberdeen).
She met her husband Andy in Edinburgh and moved to Perth in 1997. They have three children.

## Career
### Charitable work and volunteering

While at Oxford, Weiss formed the Homeless Action Group society, organising a rota for students to volunteer in homeless shelters. After graduation, she volunteered with a charity supporting refugees in Berlin, teaching Maths and English to Lebanese refugees.

### Teaching and counselling

After teacher training in Aberdeen, Weiss worked as a maths teacher and a tutor at the Open University. She undertook a counselling course, as she felt this would make her a better teacher, but it influenced another career change.
In 1997 Weiss and Christine Partridge founded Rowan Consultancy providing counselling services for individuals and corporate clients, through coaching, self awareness, reflection, critical incident support and training, mediation and supervision.

### Menopause Café charity

At the age of 50, Weiss saw a TV documentary about menopause presented by Kirsty Wark, The Menopause and Me. She was inspired to create the first Menopause Café using the format of the Death Café, which she had previously hosted in Perth.
“So first, I realised that there was a lot I didn’t know – that the menopause was a whole raft of physical and emotional symptoms that people have and that it’s at that time of life where for many people you’re caring for elderly relatives or teenage children. You know, it’s not an easy stage of life. You’re at the peak of your career perhaps. But the second thing I realised was how come nobody’s told me about this?”
The first café was in June 2017, held in Blend Coffee Lounge, Perth with nearly 30 people in attendance. In its first year, over 38 café events were held in Scotland, England and Canada. It became a registered charity and Kirsty Wark became their Patron. People Magazine called it a "global movement" in 2023. Weiss set up the annual Menopause Festival, called Flushfest, in Perth in 2018.
Labour MSP Monica Lennon contacted Weiss in 2022 to discuss menopause in the workplace stating "Governments need to think about what a good, modern workplace looks like, where it is not taboo to talk about menstruation and menopause leave."

## What is a menopause café?

A Menopause Café is a pop-up, not-for-profit discussion group, usually in a local café or workplace, with volunteers facilitating, where everyone either new or returning, talks about menopause over a cuppa and cake. The ethos of the events is to provide a confidential space, where people can learn, share ideas, experiences and information around living with menopause regardless of age or gender.

## Awards and recognition

2018 - UK Points of Light Award, Prime Minister’s Office
2024 - Lifetime Achievement Award, Association of Scottish Businesswomen (ASB

## Other work/contributions

In 2019, Weiss chaired a debate about Brexit between two Perthshire MPs, Pete Wishart and Luke Graham.