News
5 activities for hosting a social evening at home
Spending time with friends is always fun. Spending time out on the town is sometimes fun. There are times when we want to see our nearest and dearest, but don’t feel like navigating the outside world.
The solution? Hosting a social evening at home. While it takes a little bit of effort, it can be even more enjoyable than socialising outside, especially on those rainy evenings when going out just isn’t inviting.
There are plenty of at-home socialising ideas that can help make your evening memorable, too. Let’s take a look at some fun activities you can incorporate into your next get-together with friends.
Movie Nights
There’s nothing better than curling up on the couch and watching a good movie. Well, there’s one thing that’s better; curling up on the couch to watch a movie with a bunch of your friends.
You don’t need much to host a great movie night. A big couch, a few blankets, and a few snacks will do the trick. If you have some money to play with and think it could be a regular occurrence, then consider investing in a project, which can take movie nights to the next level. It’ll be like having your own private cinema, with much cheaper popcorn and soft drinks.
Poker Evenings
Looking to have a social yet gently competitive evening with friends? Then hosting your own poker evening is the way to go. All you’ll need is a deck of cards, some chips, and a large table, and you’ll be all set to spend a few hours doing battle. It’s best to keep the invitation list fairly small, ideally around 4 – 6 people, and to have a good understanding of the gameplay.
Platforms such as PokerStars have the rules listed online, which you can refer to as you play. You may also consider playing a few games online before the evening, so you’re able to hit the ground running once your friends are in place. And while it’s not required, it’s best to make some snacks and drinks available — poker evenings can go on for hours, and everyone will be much more comfortable if they’re well-fed and well-watered.
Making Sushi
Hosting a dinner party at home is a classic go-to move for people who want to socialise with friends. However, they’re a lot of work, and that makes organising them much more stressful than you’d like them to be.
An alternative food-based evening is to make sushi together. Sushi is delicious, but it’s also simple to make. If you have good ingredients, then you’ll make sushi that’s just as good as what you would eat in a standard sushi restaurant. Plus, making it with friends is fun. You’ll be doing something slightly different together, and at the end, you’ll have some truly delicious food to consume. Perfect!

Karaoke Singalongs
Going to a karaoke bar with friends can be a good time, but you’ll often have to deal with plenty of people who aren’t your friends singing songs.
And that can be annoying — it’s funny to hear your friend butcher a classic song, but less funny when it’s a total stranger murdering one of your favourites. The solution? Say goodbye to the crowds and host your own karaoke night at home.
You’ll need a microphone and a speaker, but that’s about it. You should be able to find a karaoke version of any reasonably popular song on YouTube. Some of your friends might just surprise you with how well they can sing!
Trips Down Memory Lane
Finally, if your friend group has years of history, then consider hosting a night where you take a gentle stroll down memory lane. It’s good to look to the future, but reminding yourself of all the good times you’ve shared as a gang is important too.
At the end of the evening, you’ll have the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from knowing you’ve got some great people in your life.
Menopause
Medichecks acquires My Menopause Centre to expand specialist hormone health services
Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.
The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.
Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.
The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.
Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.
“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.
“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.
“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”
The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.
Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.
“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.
“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.
“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.
“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”
Menopause
Menopause specialist Haver joins Midi Health
Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.
In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.
The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.
Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.
“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.
“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”
Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.
After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.
Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.
Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.
“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.
“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”
Entrepreneur
Kate Ryder headlines Women’s Health Week USA 2026 as full agenda goes live
Women’s Health Week USA 2026 has unveiled its first populated agenda, anchored by an opening keynote from Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic, and featuring a cross-sector lineup shaping the next phase of scale in women’s health.
You can view the full agenda here.
Taking place May 13–14, 2026, at the New York Academy of Medicine, Women’s Health Week USA brings together the full women’s health ecosystem to focus on one central question: what does it take to move women’s health from innovation to institutional scale?
Kate Ryder will open Day 1 with a keynote drawing on her experience building Maven Clinic into the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health.
Under her leadership, Maven has partnered with employers and health plans to deliver care across fertility, maternity, postpartum, paediatrics, and menopause at scale.
Her perspective sets the tone for a program centered on commercialisation, partnership, and sustainable growth.
Beyond the opening keynote, the newly released agenda reflects the sector’s growing maturity.
Across two days, the program features 70+ speakers, with representation from leading organizations including the FDA, Planned Parenthood, CVS Health Ventures, Samsung Next, NIH, WHO, and Maven Clinic.
Sessions span investment and deal flow, clinical innovation, regulation, data and technology, and market expansion, alongside dedicated pitch sessions and curated 1:1 matchmaking designed to turn insight into action.
The agenda has been built to facilitate meaningful connections across the ecosystem, with partnerships positioned as the primary driver of scale.
As women’s health continues to attract institutional capital and global attention, Women’s Health Week USA 2026 offers a clear snapshot of where the market is heading, and who is shaping it.
The full agenda is now live, with additional speakers and partners to be announced in the coming months.
View the full programme here.
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