Train firm’s ‘jokey’ gift bags for staff with menopause

AVANTI West Coast has come under fire for handing out ‘insulting gimmicks’ to support female employees going through the menopause.

The rail firm was accused of making a ‘joke’ with the gift bags, which included a jelly baby ‘in case you feel like biting someone’s head off’ and a paper clip ‘to help you keep it all together’.

Avanti confirmed it had given menopausal staff bags of ‘gifts’ which come with a description of why each item could be helpful.

Other items included a tissue ‘if you’re feeling a bit emotional’ and a pencil ‘to write down the things you might forget’.

There was also a fan ‘handy for the hot sweats’, a candle ‘to remind you there is light at the end of the tunnel’, tea because it ‘makes everything better’, a penny to bring ‘good luck’, and chocolate because ‘hey, great excuse to eat chocolate’. The Aslef train drivers’ union said: ‘Avanti the menopause is debilitating for some women, it’s not a joke.

‘Rather than handing out insulting gimmicks to female employees you’d be better placed developing workplace policies and procedures that value and support perimenopausal and menopausal women.’

It is the latest controversy to rock the rail firm, with Avanti passengers suffering due to industrial action and unreliable services.

Last month, the operator was blasted for referring to taxpayer funding as ‘free money’ at an internal meeting with managers.

Avanti hit back at criticism of the bags and said it has undertaken a range of menopause support initiatives and is planning more.

A spokesman for the firm said the gift bags came ‘ from a suggestion from a colleague based on her own personal experience’.