Bridget Aherne

Journalist turned comms pro. Chartered PR. @CIPR_global’s Outstanding Indie Practitioner at #CIPREXCEL 2018. CIPR & @The_IoD PR Director of the Year 2015

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

Facebook memories reminded me that four years ago this week @ms_organised and I were talking about a subject we’re both deeply committed to helping organisations with - and that’s improving how they operate through having #comms influencing and delivering value to the board

[PRFest @ThePRFest]

#PR may struggle to influence at board level - @ms_organised & @BridgetAherne are on hand to help discuss at #RPFest https://t.co/4SrL3Xegl1

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@EamonnONeal Congratulations! Funny I’ve started popping on here after years not using it and see this from you - the incredible and influential Mrs O’Neal was on my mind only the other day while I was trying to make sense of the woman I am now in my 40s, and she is defo in the mix of good 😊

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@ShRudd Oh please do! I love creating something useful

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

Been away from @X and @RestIsPolitics for a while, but had to pop back after listening to @RoryStewartUK & @campbellclaret.

Love you both, but as a Greater Mancunian I’m obliged to be annoying about this 😊. It’s Greater Manchester, not Manchester, that elected Andy Burnham. 1/4

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@Wavingcloud @BuryCouncil Oh yes - I’ll have that. If we’re going for pedantry, let’s go all in! I’ll take that he’s helped highlight the inadequacy of the north in getting what it needs - but that’s by working with other mayors - such as the WY mayor - and being more than the sum of their parts.

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

I’m Burnham-agnostic and just a fan of accuracy. Lots of love from the first head of comms for Greater Manchester post-devolution deal in 2015 (working for Tony Lloyd pre-Andy Burnham days). Please just give us a ‘greater’ before the Mcr when you say it! 😉

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

Manchester, the fine city I was born & raised in, has 96 elected members. Greater Manchester has around 650 across its 10 councils (including the brill @BuryCouncil area). That distinction is pretty fundamental to the point you were making around the 30-minute mark yesterday. 3/4

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@CrossCountryUK there’s been news on the @rdgchronicle for more than an hour about trespassers. No info about the 18:15 from Rdg to Mcr being disrupted until half hour ago-ish &now just shown up as cancelled. Could you get on it with some updates please? Needs gripping on here.

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@LucyGoBag What a depressing reason to feel relief /more love for working in local public service. Many think it’s un-glamorous and lacks excitement (which is untrue anyway) - but there a lot to be said for home being 15 mins from the office and paying your council tax to your own employer

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@LucyGoBag just had to come on here and let you know that I’m still listening to the book (must seem I’ve taken ages but I’ve a LOT on so it’s a treat for long drives). So so much resonates. I’m going to need to get the paper copy and I’m hoping to catch you at Henley too

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@LucyGoBag Started listening to the audiobook on a long drive. Great company for the M6 northbound. I feel cheated - I got flowers but never had a lasagne stage after my dad… I don’t understand when everyone knows I’m a rubbish cook on a good day (before we add in the grief)!

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@KevinPMeagher Really? My experience in an Irish catholic household was simmering silently and doing anything other than facing the truth - we didn’t talk about our issues or feelings!

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

@Unrepentant_ I’ve been v disciplined with my training lately. I sneezed really hard yesterday and have pulled my back out. Nothing says ‘I’m 45 in two weeks’ like a sneeze related injury that puts you in deep heat patches and bent double. I share your devastation

[Bridget Aherne @BridgetAherne]

This will be an absolute banger of a a convo and will be well worth an hour to hear the awesome @clairemason01…

[CIPR Wessex Group cipr-wessex.bsky.social @CIPR_Wessex]

Join us and @clairemason01 as we talk about communicating 200 years of the @RNLI

12-1pm Friday 6 December.

Register now and secure 5 CPD points: https://t.co/9eeyO6JH4P

[Jess Rothwell @JessRRothwell]

I joined The Oldham Times just over 5 months ago now and can safely say it’s been an amazing team to join.

If you’re looking for your next spot on your journalism journey, we’re a lovely bunch (I promise)!!📰

[abandonedshoespotter @abandonedshoes]

There are two types of people in the world: Lamp People, and Big Light People.

[Dr Louise Newson @drlouisenewson]

Updated NICE menopause guidelines published today.

While it’s welcome to see HRT as the preferred treatment for the menopause, this is a disappointing update overall. The focus remains primarily on vasomotor symptoms – hot flushes and night sweats – which are, for many women, not the main symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Most women experience brain symptoms – brain fog, low mood, anxiety, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, memory problems and fatigue – and these are things we know are unlikely to be alleviated in the long term by CBT, as suggested.

The guidelines also do not differentiate between older, synthetic HRT and the natural (body identical) hormones now more commonly prescribed – while the word “risk” is mentioned three times as often than the word “benefit”, these newer forms offer more benefit than risks.

The true risk comes in NOT taking HRT at all, with good quality evidence showing that low hormones during menopause increases the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, dementia, neurodegenerative diseases, clincial depression, autoimmune diseases and an earlier death. These diseases reduce in women taking hormones and life expectancy increases.

Women deserve to be fully informed and involved at every step of their healthcare consultation to make an informed decision on the right treatment or combination of treatments for them. While we have seen a rise in recent years in access to evidence-based treatments like HRT, a postcode lottery still exists, particularly for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Too many women are still struggling to receive HRT, and these guidelines will be confusing for both healthcare professionals and women.

Perimenopause and menopause is sorely under-researched and under-funded, and this must change. In the meantime, women deserve to have a choice, and those who want to take HRT should be able to have it prescribed. That HRT is now the frontline treatment is refreshing, but future documents and consultations must go further to ensure women get the treatment they deserve.

https://t.co/9tut2nB1SO

[BLOCKCHAIN RECOVERY PRO🏆🏅 @comms2point0]

This is a valuable new report packed with helpful insights and benchmarking data.
Thanks for pulling it together, Mandy.

[Lean In @LeanInOrg]

Both women and men more readily associate men with leadership. This is fueled by two related forms of bias women face: performance bias and attribution bias.

Learn how to identify and challenge bias head on with our #50Ways to #FightBias program here: https://t.co/zfP9AvwCqP

[June Thomas @junethomas]

Excellent writing on important topics about my home town. (Also, very fun!)