“First you don’t and then you can’t”. Linda shares her adventurous decade.
Fabafterfifty: Fabwomen
We all know women who inspire us to take a look at our own lives. ‘Fabwomen’ is all about introducing women who have not been afraid to try something new or different, and who’ve overcome their own fears or limitations and followed their dreams, whether stepping outside their comfort zone to take up new interests or pursue a new career or relationship.
We hope our Fabwomen’s stories will motivate all of us to try at least one thing new!
If you have a friend, colleague or family member, whose experiences in their fifties could inspire others, why not nominate them for a future Fabwomen feature!
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Article by Linda Bulmer “First you don’t and then you can’t”. I was not the person to say these wise words but I am blessed to know their source as well as be ready to hear them. So where did those words take me? What do I mention first? The summit of Kala Patthar looking down over Everest Base Camp, Nepal, or perhaps Alaska, climbing the “Golden Staircase” into the Yukon of Canada. Just sayin…these words helped catapult me into a very adventuresome decade. Being physically active with 3 children over the last 27 years has been a given. We have always made it a priority to be an outdoorsy family enjoying camping, snowboarding, bird watching and mountain biking on both sides of the US and Canadian border. But something got up my skort as I approached 50. I wondered if I was doing too much of the sure thing...
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Life gets better and better over 60 for Christyne
Article by Christyne. The last you heard from me was earlier in the year when I was featured and pictured in a 2 page spread for the quarterly magazine Life and Living, not front page this time Twiggy had that slot. I did enjoy doing another professional shoot in London Shortly after I auditioned and got a small speaking role in a film university students were making as a mysterious shop keeper, it was great fun and done in a very professional way and a great experience. After that in April I entered a model search competition held at a local shopping centre over 260 men and women turned up to be photographed this was whittled down eventually to the final 19 who were then asked to do a live fashion show wearing clothes from the shopping centre. I was one of the 19 chosen in June to do the...
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Julie Rogers, writing a practical guide to dealing with terminal illness based on her own experience with cancer
Article by Ceri Wheeldon Since setting up Fabaferfifty I have had the privilege of meeting and talking to so many inspirational women. Many are nominated as ‘Fabwomen’ by friends and family.I don’t think I have been touched by anyone’s story as much as the one I am about to share with you. I was recently approached by someone who wanted to nominate their friend, Julie Rogers, who had just published a book called ‘Don’t Cancel My Newspapers Yet’. They believed that Julie epitomised what being Fab after 50 was all about. Julie has being diagnosed as having terminal cancer. In 2009 Julie was diagnosed as having breast cancer. With treatment she thought she had beaten it, but a year later it came back- spreading to her lungs. On Christmas Eve 2010 Julie was told that her cancer was aggressive and that this time it was terminal. Julie was in total...
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Marina Florance, followed her passion for music when she became an empty nester, now a winning composer!
Article by Ceri Wheeldon When Marina Florance became an empty nester, she decided to follow her dream and her passion for music. Four years later at the age of 53, she is a finalist in the OldieComposers competition, and has had one of her compositions recorded by Anthony Head , which was performed live on ITV This Morning. Marina has always written songs and enjoyed singing, performing only for friends and family over the years. But in 2007 she decided, with the support of her husband, to broaden her musical horizons and start performing for the public in small venues. Initially daunting, Marina joined the Norfolk Folk Club where she met with other singer/songwriters and got used to performing for non-family members. Marina was persuaded by a friend who she had co-written some songs with to attend an event to promote new music. Marina was reluctant to attend, feeling embarrassed...
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Hellen Bach – the older generation helping the young with an ambitious songwriting project for Barnado’s!
Interview with Hellen Bach Hellen launched a competition for mature songwriters, with some celebrity support the winning songs are now available to purchase , and the funds raised are in aid of Barnado’s. How did Oldie Composers come about? It was my idea on the back of a young songwriting competition we started a few years ago. We decided that there were a lot of talented people “out there” and just because they are “older”, had more or less given up. We felt that perhaps if we could find a way to rekindle their interest or give them something to work towards it would not only help them but hopefully help disadvantaged children through Barnardo’s. I have always liked the idea of the older generation helping the young. How easy was it to get support to make it happen? We are very lucky because we have worked with Sir Terry...
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3 lovely ladies Shirley-Anne Field, Anita Harris and Anne Charleston, all actresses and all enjoying life and their careers after 50
Article by Ceri Wheeldon Shirley-Anne Field, Anita Harris and Anne Charleston have been familiar faces on our TV screens and are now touring together as they appear on stage in The Cemetery Club. I caught up with all three ladies to ask them about how they have embraced the second half of their lives. All three have incredibly positive, but very different outlooks regarding life after 50. They talk about how their lives have been transformed since turning 50, from relocating half-way round the world , embracing the freedom of emptynesting and taking to the stage as an actress, three lovely, inspirational ladies share their thoughts and philosophy on life after 50. Shirley-Anne Field talks about her life after 50 How has life changed for you since turning 50? I found turning 50 quite liberating. As a mother, and breadwinner I had an overwhelming responsibility to manage my acting career while ensuring...
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Lynn, making hand made dolls and creating a new business in her 50s
Interview with Lynn Ede Our latest ‘Fabpreneur’ Lynn makes and sells beautiful dolls- I have been totally captivated by the images of them so I asked Lynn to share her story about her dolls and the business she has created. I am Lynn Ede of http://www.FloraLilly.com and live in Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, UK. I have three wonderful grown-up sons, the youngest of whom, 20, lives with me. What prompted you to set up a business in your 50s? Being 50 should not stand in the way of a good business idea; age isn’t important. In many ways, being older gives one more general knowledge and experience which is useful for such a venture. I set up FloraLilly – so named after my grandmothers Florence and Lillian – after making things for my home and friends and getting their positive responses, especially after making the dolls, leading me to think the products...
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Fabpreneur Lesley turned impending redundancy in her 50s into an opportunity by buying part of the company!
Article by Lesley Bailey Together Gill and I are ‘The Little Pub Company’. Gill is fifty, married with 2 grown up daughters and one daughter in her teens. She also has one granddaughter. I (Lesley) am fifty nine, twice divorced and have two grown up daughters. Gill and I worked together for a small pub owning company based in the Midlands. Gill was my boss and the Operations Director for the company, whilst I prepared the company accounts. Last year the bank called in all the loans for the company we worked for and in effect we realized that as soon as they were all sold we would no longer have employment. We both realized that we may be facing a very tough future especially at our age and in the current economic climate. Deciding to buy part of the business One day last August, Gill came to me and...
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‘Fabpreneur’ Helen turned her passion for walking into a business
Article by Helen Wenley, Helen shares her story…… I live in Auckland, New Zealand. I am married to a dentist and have two young adult children living at home (I am an ‘older’ Mum) What prompted you to set up a business in your 50s? I like to stay engaged with the community, and doing something that gives me enjoyment means that I can provide others with the same opportunity. What did you do prior to setting up business? I have been an at-home Mum since my son was born in 1989. I also have done the book-keeping for my husband’s dental business from home. What is your new business? I have explored, and discovered short walks that I have documented. These self-guides can be downloaded from the website I built myself. Why this particular business? When our children were small we wanted to explore Auckland on foot with them. ...
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Fabpreneur Rachel acquires the digital skills she needs to showcase her script writing to a wider audience
Article by Rachel Cochrane Most writers are used to being a recluse and accepting the stack of rejection letters as part of the territory. With the advent of digital media, I decided it was time to change this state of affairs, take charge of my own work and get it out to an audience somewhere out in the ether of the worldwide web. Up to this point I had concentrated on scriptwriting for film & TV, so how could I get my work out there without needing to remortgage the house? With a little help from my amateur actor friends I started to write & record my dramas as radio plays and very quickly I had to make the transition from being solely a writer to actor, director and producer – not to mention catering manager! But I obviously needed a platform from which I could reach my audience and...
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