FAB MAG UK SUMMER '23

SUMMER

The Midlife revolution is here!

EDITOR FROM THE

Welcome to the summer issue of Forty & Beyond.

As always it’s jammed packed with inspiring women who are living their mid life to the max. I turned 50 in April and my daughter Patsy and I travelled to Paris for a 4 days. It was my 50th and Patsy’s 30th. It really was a blast. Full of laughter and amazing french food. We really packed a lot in (even lost the Eiffel tower at one point due to my map skills!)

This year I set myself some goals. It is really about making the most of my time off. You can read my list in this issue. I've been well enough to start Horse riding again with the help of my childhood friend Izzy.

Ialso have a confession..An addiction I didn't see coming.. VINTED!! Its amazing! My daughter and I are obsessed..and all my friends. I've saved up lots of cash which will help me complete my list. I've also bought some fantastic bargains. So if you haven't got the App yet then you MUST.

So sit back, wherever you are and enjoy the summer issue. As always a huge thank you to all the amazing women who contribute and make this corner of the internet an amazing,uplifting and woman focused zone.

Zee xxx

With

FRIENDS REUNITED!

This year I’ve reconnected with a childhood friend. Izzy and I became friends Because of horses. We just got on and understood each other.

Now 24 years later we are back in touch like no time has passed. We’ve both been through the ringer, both lost a parent and both still love horses. Issy has been the reason behind me getting back in the saddle. Her cob Dolly has given me all my confidence back after 15 years of being out of the saddle due to illness I now spend my free time at Izzys farm in the Suffolk country side.

So, This is my THANK YOU to you Isobel. You’ve given me a space where I’m at my happiest. A space where I can come and just be, in the quiet with horses who are so healing for the soul. I'm beyond grateful to have you back in my life because you really are a special kind of human and I love you!

Now for a pub ride I think!! P.S. The pigs still scare me!!

The Retirement Rebel!

This summer I am celebrating four years living a Nomadic life. I retired from the BBC at 60 and hit the open road, after getting rid of my home and most of my possessions.

It has not all been plain sailing but it has been a life changing adventure, I have found my happy place. A far cry from where I was in my mid fifties, broken and overwhelmed with everything life seemed to be throwing at me. Family bereavements, the menopause, feeling lost in work and wanting to find my purpose in life after my daughter left home.

Barra in the Outer Hebrides

One of my go to beaches in the summertime is at Goring-bysea, in Worthing,West Sussex. I get there early in the morning, find my spot by the grassy expanse between the road and the pebbly, shingley beach and set up my Motor home, Dora the Explora, for the day. I pop my awning out to give me plenty of shade. Erect my table and chairs, positioned strategically, so that I can watch the world go by. My imagination works overtime. Deciding who I think they are as they pass by, what kind of lives they have and what they are saying to one another. Often people come over and have a chat, which is lovely.

BOOK LAUNCH

Iam a great fan of swimming in the sea and it is a perfect place to do that. I can just run in and out when I feel too hot. I sometimes rest against one of the wooden groynes to watch the other families laughing and playing in the sea, enjoying their summer holidays. I do not feel lonely doing that because I chose to be alone. It makes me happy to see people getting the most out of a lovely summers day.

One good thing about having my home with me is that I have the luxury of being able to hop inside the van whenever I want to use the bathroom, or to make myself a nice cup of tea and a sandwich. Even after all these years I feel like I am playing house and it fills me with joy.

In the afternoon I have a long walk from Goring, to the Blue Bird cafe that sits on Ferring beach. I treat myself to an ice cream or white chocolate magnum, before heading back at a very leisurely pace, admiring all the wonderful houses set back from the beach front. Trying to imagine the history behind the grand structures and their walled gardens. Wondering what they would tell me if only they could talk about their various owners throughout the years. On returning to the motor home I make myself and drink and get a snack, then head for the nearest bench overlooking the sea, to watch the sunset. I have seen some incredible sunsets there.

SUNSET AT GORING BEACH

GORING BEACH

Frequently I am alone with my thoughts which gives me an incredible sense of peace. It is a great opportunity to relish the good things that have happened to me since I retired and became a pro-age campaigner. I still have to pinch myself to believe that I have my first book out at the age of 63. It is never too late and you are never too old, My Book RETIREMENT REBEL is selling so well. I hope that it is helping some young women not to fear getting old and inspiring older women to live life to the fullest and age as positively as they can.

*You can buy

'The Retirement Rebel' at Amazon & Waterstones Follow Siobhan at @shuvsonshuvsoff on instagram and find out more!

REPRESENT!

GAIL GENSLER

Challenging the stereotypes of women in fitness campaigns .

It’s no secret that the vast majority of brands, be it lifestyle, fitness, or anything that requires models, show preferential treatment towards certain types of spokespeople. Models are skinny and young. Models are impossibly goodlooking. Some of them look like they don’t even have skin pores. If you do see a midlife model, odds are he or she is being depicted as “old” or grandparent-looking. While it’s obvious these younger models put in a tremendous amount of effort or money to achieve this look or are just genetically blessed, this is an unrealistic goal for 99% of the population. What’s more, it’s also a bad business decision. So. Why not use more realistic midlife models?

Know Your Market!

Gen Xers and Baby Boomers have the highest income and spend more money shopping than any other age group. We are the homeowners, have had long and profitable careers. We have the disposable income at this point in our lives. We work hard and deserve to have what we want. Women over 50 represent $15 trillion in spending power. We control more than 64% of global spending.

Knowing this, coupled with the fact that women tend to do more of the shopping than men ( 80% of household buying decisions), you'd think brands would present a more relatable picture in their marketing campaigns, right ?

If fitness brands were to show consumers more realistic-looking, credible midlife women modelling their apparel, they would be more likely to fundamentally connect with the biggest shopping demographic there is. Take me, for example. If you put me in an ad as a fit, but not perfect, woman in her 60s, who clearly works out, that would be inspirational to someone who's just beginning their fitness journey.

Arealistic picture shows the consumer what he or she might look like in an outfit. When brands run the unrealistic ad with the photoshopped 20-something-year-old on the cover instead, they are doing two things.

#1. They are potentially alienating a shopper who knows he or she will never look like that.

#2. They are trying to build brand loyalty with the younger generation.

Let's talk a little bit about the second item on that list; brands use young, impossibly beautiful models in order to create brand loyalty, thus setting themselves up for when the younger generation has more disposable income. While this strategy might have worked in the past, it is becoming more and more ineffective in today's day and age. Consumers today are constantly flooded with enticing and tailored ads. They see them on TV, the internet, social media, billboards, magazines, everywhere. As the amount of shopping options increases,the life span of certain styles and brands decreases. ln short brand loyalty is dying.

It's foolish to devote so much attention to cultivating brand loyalty by targeting a younger generation because they will not hesitate to shop elsewhere. There are millions of options at their disposal that they are exposed to every day.

Unless you have far and away the superior product in your market, which is improbable with how saturated everything is today, it is highly unlikely that ads using 20-year-olds will produce any more repeat customers than ads using realistic midlife models, like me. 'The times, they are a-changing' as Bob Dylan

Thankfully, this concept of presenting an unattainable goal in ads is becoming a thing of the past. With the movement towards body positivity and inclusivity gaining steam, specifically in fashion and beauty brands, we're seeing more and more unique models with all different body types , as opposed to the classic stick-figure image. It's important to love your body; more inclusivity is the right thing to do.

It turns out, it's also the smart thing to do, specifically as it relates to realistic midlife models. As a pro-aging fitness enthusiast and lifestyle influencer, my goal has always been to eliminate the stigma of aging, thus allowing women in the midlife to dress, work out, and act the way they want to act. Be who they want to be, regardless of what it says on their birth certificates. While the fashion/beauty industry has begun to embrace that concept, the fitness industry is lagging, hence why I've targeted this space.

Fitness brands acknowledging the moral and financial benefits of more inclusivity would be an enormous step in the right direction. I’m right here. Ready to move that mountain. Because I want to for myself. Because I have to for everyone else.

Anna Parkes! The Art Of Ageing.

My 16 year old self would never have believed that at 60 I would be entering into the best years of my life. In the spring of 2018 I responded to a shout-out on social media, “Are you bold, are you colourful, do you refuse to go quietly? Then we want to hear from you!”.This had my name written all over it and so began my foray into the world of modelling. Sixteeny was aghast, horrified that in my decrepitude I’d consider myself beautiful, worthy of being a model. Hold on, said Sixty, JD Williams are launching a new campaign called I AM, representing real women, ordinary women of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities, therefore this IS for me!

Iwent through the whole casting process, from emails, phone calls, photos and videos, finally trekking off to London for an interview. As I entered the inner sanctum I viewed the casting couch with a wry grin, sweeping past to the bank of spotlights where I danced like no-one was watching. Out of the darkness came a flood of questions whereupon I became verbally incontinent when asked for my story, finally summarising “I’m a 60 year old wife, mother and Gallery Manager who writes a fashion blog aiming to inspire older women that life can still be a wonderfully joyful journey at this time of life. I’m here to make a point!”

Ten days later I was called up - I’d made it! Over the next six months I flitted back and forth for wardrobe fittings, photo shoots and filming for a series of three adverts for autumn, winter and spring, located accordingly in Manchester, Blackpool and Cape Town. As I returned from South Africa I descended the steps off the plane into a snowy January morning where I had just turned 61. What a whirlwind year my 60th had been. I was featured online, in magazines, on social media and on TV adverts and was feted locally for my success. What a triumph for the ordinary woman.

But Sixty wasn’t done. She had her sights on another adventure of a watery kind. Sea swimming is a passion of mine, an appropriate one considering I live on a tiny island 26 miles off the coast of Cornwall where the beaches are silky soft white sand lapped in clear turquoise waters. To the north of the island are craggy outcrops of rock with a headland that juts out into the dark Atlantic Ocean. Wild swimming is popular here, but dangerous too given that much of our traffic zooms about on the sea, not the land. Sixteeny considered me mad to set my sights on another achievable goal, that of swimming around the entire island of Tresco in one go. Sixty’s mantra had become “Why not?”, Saying Yes to the universe daily to open herself up to all good things.

“I danced like no-one was watching. ”

“I’m not done with life and I don’t think life is done with me. ”

“Sixty’s mantra had become “Why not? ”

September rolled along bringing with it the perfect tide and sea conditions for an escapade. At 8am on the 8th of September in 2019 my obliging husband fired up the engine on our little motor boat, aka safety boat for the day, and I appeared on the shoreline in wet suit and goggles with more than a handful of butterflies dancing in my stomach. Heading north, we approached the most ominous part of the route first, logic being to be fresh and full of energy for the rougher water. This truly was wild swimming! At the tip of the island where the currents converge there’s no rhythm to the waves, no pattern to read or anticipate, only endless swell and chop with little opportunity to catch a breath. Sixteeny was maybe right; perhaps this was madness. Worse still, I might drown.

Steve beckoned me to hop aboard the boat for a breather, which I did, gladly. A hot drink, a pep talk and I was soon back in the water, the tide flowing with me, assisting with the swim as I turned to head east. I struck out with renewed vigour and purpose, swimming as I’d never done before. The sun shone, the sea sparkled and I entered into a state of flow where I was at one with the sea, gliding, rolling, sweeping the water past me effortlessly as I became part of nature herself. Some six hours after starting I had swum eight miles around the island, the first person to have completed this quest; but not only the first person, a woman and one of 61 years old!

Now at age 65 I’m still running an art gallery, still dressing like a star, writing my blog, sea swimming daily and finding new things to be excited about. I’ve recently taken up sewing and am making my own clothes as well as customising charity shop finds. I’m not done with life and I don’t think life is done with me.

Oprah Winfrey recently spoke of the over 60’s woman becoming more of ourselves. How very true.

Reclaim

It appears there’s no escaping Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT as it’s more commonly known. Back from the brink of controversy, and now dubbed the ‘saviour of menopause’, HRT is now all the rage. Thanks to high-profile celebrity endorsements, there are even reports of women demanding HRT when they don’t even need it! FOMO is real!

However, the fact remains that HRT is not for everyone. If there’s a family history of breast cancer, ovarian or womb cancer, or even a history of blood clots or high blood pressure, HRT may not be suitable. Plus, there are women who choose not to take HRT, simply because they prefer a natural solution to help them cope with peri/menopause. Menopause is a natural transition at this stage of a woman’s life, so a natural solution makes perfect sense. So, could yoga be the answer for you, as it is for countless others?

Yoga can alleviate more symptoms than most other solutions We’re all familiar with yoga as a holistic practice that leaves us feeling Zen-like and stress-free, but the concept of yoga as a solution for menopause is largely unknown. There are 34 official symptoms of perimenopause - the period that can last anywhere up to 10 years prior to menopause and can dog us from the age of 40, if not before. Hot flashes, anxiety, brain fog, poor sleep, joint pain, lack of confidence, digestive disorders,

However, whilst HRT may claim to be the one-stop solution for most of these symptoms, yoga can lay the exact same claim too. However, yoga comes in a variety of styles, and whilst all can transform our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, it’s ‘Menopause Yoga’ that has the unique power to alleviate so many peri/menopause symptoms.

The power of Menopause Yoga

Menopause Yoga, or Yoga for Menopause, is designed to support women through the transition into menopause and combines a variety of yoga styles to address a wide array of symptoms.

Gentle Vinyasa flow yoga helps move the body through a variety of poses. These help to release the excess of heat that can cause hot flushes, disperse the stagnant energy to lift low moods, clear the mind to reduce brain fog, and release the knots of stress and tension to ease fatigue.

Yin Yoga helps to improve flexibility by lubricating joints and fascia so that we can bend down without grunting, and maybe even reach the top shelf too. Meanwhile Restorative Yoga is the perfect tonic for easing symptoms of fatigue, overwhelm and anxiety. By allowing the body to completely relax and surrender, it can re-energise us when menopause drains the tank.

Meditation is another essential component of Menopause Yoga, and it's a powerhouse when it comes to combating anxiety. By slowing down the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the production of stress hormones, it’s the perfect remedy for peri/menopausal anxiety.

But Yoga Nidra is perhaps the ultimate stress buster. Known as "yogic sleep”, it’s claimed that ONE hour of Yoga

Nidra is the equivalent of THREE hours of deep, nourishing sleep - and all without pills or potions.

By simply lying down in a cosy, comfortable position, and being guided by a specially trained voice, our brainwaves shift from their usual frantic state to a place of pure relaxation and calm, leaving us feeling less frazzled with renewed energy and self-esteem.

Menopause Yoga at home

Thanks to online platforms such as My Yoga Journey that blend a variety of yoga styles, breathing techniques, meditation, and lifestyle recommendations, yoga is helping women master menopause, and all that’s required is a humble mat and a little time.

All classes in My Yoga Journey specifically address menopause symptoms and most are just 10-15 minutes long, making them easy to fit into the busiest schedule. Complete with Practice Calendars, a Progress Path, and Symptom Tracker; women finally have a one-stop-shop NATURAL solution for mastering menopause, and one that’s already transforming women’s lives for the better.

Just like a fingerprint, menopause is unique to each of us, so we need to find a solution that works best for us. Given that HRT is not an option for everyone, it’s high time that this ancient holistic practice is given the airtime it deserves.

Yoga offers a holistic approach that can offer relief to every menopausal woman - regardless of age or fitness level. When combined with holistic practices, yoga is a natural and powerful alternative to HRT, and a guiding light that can lead us out of a long dark tunnel.

*At the age of 53, Julie Ann Garrido trained to become a yoga teacher and went on to take multiple certifications including a Menopause Yoga teaching qualification. Today, she educates and teaches yoga, meditation, and mindset to thousands of peri/menopausal women around the world.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO BEGIN YOGA BUT DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START, DOWNLOAD MY FREE E-BOOK: HOW TO START A HOME YOGA PRACTICE: HTTPS://WWW.YOURSELFYOGA.COM

ALSO, COME JOIN A GROWING FACEBOOK COMMUNITY OF PERI/MENOPAUSAL WOMEN WHO ALL PRACTICE YOGA TO EASE THEIR SYMPTOMS: HTTPS://BIT.LY/YOGAFORPERIANDMENOPAUSE

THE HUMBLE DOWNWARD FACING DOG HAS THE POWER TO HELP CLEAR OUR MIND AND ALLEVIATE BRAIN FOG. BY DROPPING THE HEAD LOWER THAN THE HEART, IT PROMOTES BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN AND STIMULATES THE PITUITARY GLAND AND ENDOCRINE SYSTEM - THE CONTROL CENTRE FOR OUR HORMONES.

MENOPAUSE YOGA ALSO LUBRICATES ALL JOINTS IN THE BODY WHICH HELPS IMPROVE GENERAL FLEXIBILITY AND REDUCES ACHES, PAINS, AND STIFFNESS. CERTAIN POSES ALSO HELP IMPROVE BONE DENSITY WHICH IS ESPECIALLY BENEFICIAL IN POST-MENOPAUSE WHEN WE ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS.

F.A.B Reads this season!

Holiday season is upon us. So if you are getting away this summer or taking some time off. As much as I love an audio book You can't beat a real life paper book! So here are a few good reads I can totally recommend . Love Zee xx

Women Don’t Owe You Pretty is an accessible entry point into progressive feminist discussion, covering topics such as body image, toxic beauty standards, and identity-building in a world still plagued by misogyny and sexism. Buy this book and share it. Pass it down to your daughters.

Tina Turner is the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, a musical icon celebrating her 60th year in the industry. In this dramatic autobiography, she tells the story of a truly remarkable life in the spotlight. From her early years picking cotton in Nutbush, Tennessee to her rise to fame alongside Ike Turner, and finally to her phenomenal success in the 1980s and beyond, Tina candidly examines her personal history, from her darkest hours to her happiest moments and everything in between.

‘It wasn’t me. I didn’t do it. And I’ll never do it again!’ Says Brian Johnson of The Lives of Brian. That AC/ DC’s legendary front man got to do it all is one of the most cheering and entertaining stories in rock ‘n’roll history. I've watched Brian in some interviews and he really is a lovely guy.. and that voice!

As one of club culture's most notorious - and best lovedfigures, Tony is a complete force of nature. Here he tells the most extraordinary stories of depravity and hedonism, of week-long benders and extreme self-destructionand of recovery, redemption, friendship and the joy of a good tune.I love this book and I love Tony even more after reading it!

The comedian and author of How to Be Human tells the unflinchingly honest story of her time in a mental health clinic in 2022 and how difficult it is to remain sane in an increasingly chaotic world. Ruby is currently touring with this book.

If you are ploughing your way through the joys of midlife and the menopause, join Emma and her Menopausal Mayhem that will make you laugh until the tears run down your legs and cry because she will make you realise you are not alone in this sad, hysterical, confusing and totally ridiculous journey. A life changing book. I love the way Emma writes and I think we all need a friend like her to wade through mid life!!

The New Hot is her no-holds-barred guide to menopause designed to entertain and empower women in equal measure. It's full of Meg's personal insights as well as the latest information and advice from a wide range of menopause and lifestyle experts. An easy book to dip in and out of and really easy to understand.

In his first and only official autobiography, music icon Elton John reveals the truth about his extraordinary life, which is also the subject of the smash-hit film Rocketman. The result is Me - the joyously funny, honest and moving story of the most enduringly successful singer/songwriter of all time. Achingly honest and funny. I've read this book twice because he's so interesting and sharp it really stayed with me.

The Dead Are My Tribe!

My life as a funeral celebrant began eighteen years ago, and I have never been happier. Now, as I approach the beginning of my seventy fifth year, I continue to work, and I love it as much today as I did when I conducted my first ceremony all those years ago. That day I walked into the chapel and set about bidding farewell to a lovely man called Arthur, and I soon realised that I had ‘come home’ I was where I was meant to be, and that certainty remains to this day.

Iam an Atheist, so I found funerals with bells, whistles prayers and platitudes highly unsatisfying. Particularly as many folk haven’t got a religious bone in them, but that is how it was back then, death = hymns and prayers! Notions of meeting up on the other side were trotted out with alarming regularity, and everybody seemed to have gone to a ‘better place’ no matter what their catalogue of sins may include……and I know all about ‘sinners’.

Iwas in my mid-fifties and had retired from lecturing when I went to my first nonreligious ceremony, I was looking for something else to do and the ceremony was a revelation, No God! No Hymns! And I liked it. Little did I know that it would consume the rest of my working life.

My wardrobe is perfect for funerals, I wear black, black and more black …..and will do so until they invent something darker. However, I do have a very colourful mind, and I love telling stories that bring beloveds back to life for a few short minutes.

Funerals are my joy. Through funerals I have nearly met some wonderful people, and I love them all – the naughtier the better, after all, if you haven’t been naughty before you die, you’ve missed that particular boat. For me a death gets us in the room together, but it is the life that I talk about. I love to play in chapel telling tall tales that make their loved ones laugh, and the deceased give me the best of all legacies as I add many mourners to my lists of contacts and friends, and we meet or talk, years later.

The industry is fascinating, it isn’t for the faint hearted, but most of the people in it are truly delightful and decent folk, then death is a great leveller. We do share a suitably dark sense of humour and find absurdity in the strangest places, but if we didn’t we wouldn’t survive what we see and hear.

Things are very different nowadays, but I continue to be a hard liner, so my ceremonies do not include God or religious references of any sort as a matter of principal. I could work more often if I would capitulate and include bible readings or the Lord’s Prayer,

Celebrants are ten a penny now, and many will include whatever a family wants for a fee, whereas I hold firm and remain resolute. I am neither trained nor ordained, I cater for those who share my views, and they call me back time and again ….

If all else fails I ask the same two questions of a next of kin who wants to include a bit of religion for insurance – Surely an all seeing and knowing God knows what’s what?……Can you be a little bit pregnant?

Margo A. Burgers. All Rights Reserved.

If you cant tone it TAN it!

FABS Resident Tanning Expert

Justina Reynolds gives us the latest Self Tan advice

.

WHY SHOULD YOU SPRAY TAN?

I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Justina, owner of spray tanning by Justina. After leaving school I pursued my love of hair and beauty, which lead me to train as a makeup artist. I then trained with the award-winning Sienna X spray tanning beauty brand in 2012.

Having dedicated many years to working a day job whilst raising children and running a home I now have the opportunity to go back to my creative heart of beauty and wellbeing.

The simple effect of just how good tanned and glowing skin can make you feel is a joy I love bringing to others. Having always been so passionate, I know you will always leave my tanning sessions with a perfect application and a glow in your soul. May was skin cancer awareness month, so the answer is spray, don’t bake. After what seems like a cold and long winter, Summer is finally here!

With the days getting longer, temperatures rising and the sun shining bright, we will be spending more time outdoors enjoying the fresh air. Laying out in the sun or using a tanning bed is known to be harmful. Exposing the skin to UV rays candamage the skin cells which increases your risk to skin Cancer.

Spray tanning is a much safer and effective option to achieve a natural looking glow. They are quick, safe and perfect for all skin types. The spray tan solution I use is Sienna X and it is 100% natural DHA that has a way of interacting With the amino acids naturally found on the skin cells. It also contains Q10, Vitamin E, Green tea And Aloe vera.

The benefits of a Spray tan they are healthier for your skin, you get long lasting results, flawless even tan and they make you feel great.

More than 210,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed annually in the UK with rates predicted to reach almost 400,000 per year by 2025. Also, every year in the UK over 16,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer” regular skin selfexaminations.

Now summer is here it’s even more important to recognize the importance of looking after your skin.

For Advice and support contact; skincanceruk.org.uk

SPRAY TANNING VS TANNING BED

THE BOOBIE COLLECTIVE!

Meet Cate from The Boobie Collective!

Hi my name is Cate, I’m mum to 7 mini humans (although a couple are now taller than me). After the birth of my 6th child I retrained as a breast feeding counsellor to help support those in a very vulnerable point in their lives just as I needed the support with my little ones, but struggled to access it. This sparked a huge appreciation/ fascination for the human body and all the emotions that being human entails. I have gone on to train in several areas to do with mental and physical health, specialising in the human breast.

Towards the end of 2020, I started The BooBee Collective as a way to support my volunteer work but it has developed into so much more than just a business and I now work tirelessly to find ways to educate others in a fun, accessible way. I champion women’s rights and equality in a bid to hopefully make this world a safer place. The BooBee Collective is also proud to be an LGBTQ+ ally and I’m always looking for ways to be more inclusive of and open to those who come up against opposition.

As a way of spreading awareness and as a continuation of the support I provide, I create clothing and products that champion the boob, promotes body neutrality and challenges stereotypical ideals of how a female should behave at any age! Life is not linear and we all need spaces that empower, encourage and educate. The BooBee Collective is one such space that hopes to aid healing, promote bodily acceptance, challenge archaic concepts and be an ally to others.

Here at The BooBee Collective I’m passionate about starting the much needed conversations around breast health, body neutrality, mental health, female equality and LGBTQ+ rights!

My dream is for everyone to find acceptance in their bodies, to understand that life is full of ups and downs and that we all need support and the space to navigate it. If we could find empowerment and a like minded community we could all have the confidence to live our lives the way we want, free from the fear of judgement.

With the above as my ultimate goal in 2022

I had the brainwave to create an art installation that represented a true cross section of people and their relationship with their breasts. Using the idea behind one of my popular art kits I came up with the concept of a community Splat Your Bap piece. A wonderfully unique, brightly coloured collection of breast prints created by people wishing to share their story, whether it be touched by breast cancer, breast feeding, body dysmorphia, gender identity or loss. It started off with me hoping to get 25 participants but quickly snowballed to a whopping 250 after the amazing Nicky Newman took part and shared the project with her amazing followers.

Through this art piece I have had the privilege of connecting with so many amazingly strong people that I now consider true friends. We hope to gain enough momentum to get the final 5.5m x 2.5m piece in the Tate Modern as I truly believe it promotes a very important message that there is beauty in all our uniqueness and our bodies are the physical manifestation of our journey.

I’m also keen to be a responsible business that is not just sustainable but actively working to improve our earth. So by creating a mixture of new, sustainable, organic and recycled products, I feel that I’m helping to promote a more gentle way of shopping.

As a business I support a range of prominent organisations who work tirelessly to make this world a more equal and safe space to live in. I not only educate all on how to spot breast cancer at my regular fun and accessible boob pottery workshops, use social media to start thought provoking conversations but also create a safe space for breastfeeding parents navigating the trials and tribulations of parenthood.

In my workshop in Thurston I design provocative clothing looking to champion female equality as I am a proud disruptive female led business. I also want to challenge the stereotypical ideals of body concept without pushing self love as sometimes the whole body positive movement can be at odds with our own concepts. By actively educating others in how important creativity and individuality is, I do everything in my power to shine a spotlight on the wonder that is life and the joy that can be had in truly living it.

Imust admit that there is an ulterior movement in my work. As a mother of 7, I feel a huge pressure to empower my children to be true to themselves. I never want them to feel that they must dim their light to fit a mould that was never meant for them. I’ve wasted so many years of my life trying to conform to unachievable societal norms and with the added pressure and accessibility of social media I fear our children are in real danger of significant physical and mental harm.

So I hope that with the work that I do and the person that I am, I encourage others to take a step out of their comfort zone and really think about what brings them joy and what is most important. Life really is for living so Chin up, Boobs out!!

Cate xx

MY GANSTER WRAPS * FIND US ON INSTAGRAM @mygangsterwraps

At the start of 2023, aged 51, and as a single mum with two teenage girls to support and a mortgage, I took a brave and giant leap away from the business world I dedicated 25 years to, in` order to go ‘full-time’ with a long-term passion. I launched a ‘Happier Naturally’, a holistic, aromatherapy-based business, aiming to transform the lives of women who have been through tough times by offering a path to healing.

Eek! Even writing that made me think ‘what on earth have I done?’ But I had to do it. The last few crazy years have taught me that life really is too short to do anything that doesn’t feed your soul.

Why I went.. HOLISTIC!

From Corporate to Compassionate

By Bonny Howes.

FROM CORPORATE TO COMPASSIONATE

Following my own life challenges (divorce in 2013 from my kids’ dad, and prior to that a 10-year controlling / coercive relationship with a different man), I really needed emotional support. The anti-depressants prescribed by my GP only barely scratched the surface of the sadness, anxiety and complete lack of self-worth I felt, and frankly, I hated the thought of being stuck on medication indefinitely. So, I did some research into natural therapies; discovered different essential oils and started diffusing them. I also started painting, and whilst I am no Picasso, I learnt that spending time being creative brought me joy, escapism and immense satisfaction. I was on the road to recovery and loving myself again.

Essential oils have been a regular part of my life ever since. Fast forward to today and I am now a professionally qualified Advanced Emotional Aromatherapy Practitioner and certified IPHM* holistic therapist, trained and mentored at the Cambridge College of Holistic Health (www.cchh.co.uk).

My friends often ask me for advice on which oil to use for various health issues. I love being able to help them – and naturally! TIP: A 10ml roller bottle of Lavender oil, (15 drops diluted with 2 tsps of carrier oil), is a handbag essential. Applied onto the skin, it’s a natural remedy for anxiety, bites and stings, sunburn, chilblains, hay fever, insect repellent, insomnia, and symptoms of menopause. It even helps with wrinkles. On a professional level, I specialise in helping women step-change their emotional well- being and mental health following trauma and painful relationship break-ups, and people with anxiety disorders and low self-confidence. Most recently, I am proud to have worked successfully with women in Suffolk Survivor Network (www. suffolksurvivornetwork. com), an amazing charity offering practical support and friendship to victims of abuse.

My goal in life is to thrive not just survive, and I’m glad I made the move I did. If I can keep helping others, then I’ll be happy. And it’s never too late change direction and do somethingyou love.

*International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine

What is Emotional Aromatherapy?

The fact that we can feel comfort when we smell bread cooking, or we feel uplifted by the aroma of fresh cut grass, demonstrates that different scents have a Emotional Aromatherapy is a professional practice using therapeutic grade essential oil blends, tailored to your needs, combined with talking therapy and traditional Chinese Medicine techniques, which together can transform your emotional well-being. I also encourage creative self-empowerment, to enable clients to ‘graduate’ from therapy. Typically, in a few sessions, negative emotions will be released, and you will re-discover the best version of yourself – calmer, more confident and…. HAPPIER! If you would like more information, please check out my website. www. happiernaturally.com

Editor Zee at 50!

Why turning 50 feels like a privilege not something to resent..

This year I turned 50! I didn't treat this birthday with resentment. Quite the opposite. I felt very lucky to have reached this milestone. Some of my peers didn't get this far therefore, I see it as a privilege. The last 20 years have been a mixed bag. I've had major health issues and spent a lot of time in hospital, I also lost my mum to Ovarian Cancer. But It's also seen me become a grandmother twice over and see my daughter Patsy get married, I married my most favourite person and we bought a house together (something I never thought I'd achieve) I also started this magazine. I'm really proud of myself. (Why do we feel so uncomfortable saying that out loud?) I have friends in my life I've had since the age of 13 and friends who have been there for me through everything.

My relationship with my daughter is the most precious thing in my life we laugh all the time and we really are best friends ( I did not think this was achievable when she hit 13!). I'm incredibly proud of her. I've started Horse riding again, My health is stable at the moment ( scuze the pun!) And I have a part time job which enables me to get the most out of my week. I didn't have a big party, instead, I wrote a list of things I'd like to do this year they include, Paris with my daughter, Showing with horses, Going to the ballet and the theatre, a zip wire in Wales and fun photoshoots with friends to look back on. There are lots of fun things I have planned. So if this is also your 50th year, grab it! Appreciate it for what it is. Its a big deal! Make the most of your time. Visit friends you haven't seen for ages, book the holiday. Change things that's don't make you happy, get rid of those who don't appreciate you. Oh and Most importantly don't ever, ever, ever, ever compare yourself to someone on instagram! Do whatever you want. This year is all about YOU! And Me obvs!! (hahahahahahaha)

Big Love Zee xx

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