Find Your Midlife Magic
We recently had the privilege of hosting the "Find Your Midlife Magic” event, where over 100 women from across Yorkshire gathered at the beautiful Goldsborough Hall near Knaresborough. The day was a celebration, a frank discussion, and a whole lot of fun.
In a world where youth often take the spotlight, there’s a quiet revolution happening. It’s a movement of incredible women who are coming together to navigate the unique challenges they face in midlife and beyond. That’s why I love the instagram community which feels like being part of an army of strong and interesting women cheering one another on. But you can't beat one to one connections and live events.
A room full of women sharing their experiences, their wisdom, and their stories, shining a light on the 45-plus generation and how growing older impacts women. But it wasn’t just about personal growth; it was also about giving back. The event managed to raise an incredible £1,420 for the Little Princess Trust, an organization that provides real hair wigs for children who’ve lost their hair due to health conditions, such as cancer treatment.
Speakers tackled a wide range of topics, from society’s expectations of older women to mental and physical well-being, style, hair, and fashion. The diversity of discussions reflected the rich tapestry of experiences and challenges faced by midlife women.
The idea behind “Find Your Midlife Magic” came from a place of friendship. Annie Stirk, Bernadette Gledhill, Christine Talbot, and myself had often worked together over the years and were all experiencing the unique challenges of midlife, which we often shared over a coffee.. Annie and I had first met when we organised our Silver & Sassy event, another inspiring day dedicated to celebrating women with grey, white and silver hair. I would always leave feeling better from seeing them and that’s what friendship and women supporting women should be about.
Keeping it real with Gaynor Faye
One of the event’s highlights was when Emmerdale and Fat Friends star Gaynor Faye shared her journey publicly for the first time. She spoke to Christine about her life after the sudden loss of her mother, the acclaimed screen and stage writer Kay Mellor. Gaynor’s determination to continue her mother’s legacy and her directorial debut plans for the stage tour of The Syndicate were truly inspirational.
Midlife is often referred to as the “sandwich generation”, who find themselves “sandwiched” between the responsibilities of caring for aging parents or elderly relatives on one side and raising or providing support for their own children on the other. Older women, in particular, may be more commonly associated with the sandwich generation due to their roles as caregivers and nurturers. Lots of women could relate to Gaynor Faye’s honest conversation.
The power of sharing stories
Motivational speaker Lisa Clifford wowed the audience with her famous “arrow challenge,” campaigner Manraj Sanghera spoke about her life-changing experience following the loss of her son, and broadcaster and writer Dr. Jane Gilbert answered the audience’s health queries which went down well with the audience.
The event was a platform for sharing stories, challenges, and triumphs.
Midlife Magic Makeovers
Two lucky women, Becky Capstick from York, and Linda Thompson from Wakefield won a makeover competition organised by Fashion journalist Stephanie Smith at the Yorkshire Post, We had over 80 entries and it was so hard to choose, all with a common them of feeling invisible and a little lost later in life. With the help of celebrity stylist Andrew Barton and British Hairdresser of the Year Rob Eaton and the personal styling team at John Lewis in Leeds, they were transformed, gaining a new look and newfound confidence. Their stories were heart-warming, showcasing the power of transformation and self-belief. Seeing Becky and Linda bond together behind the scenes was really special and watching their confidence grow throughout the day was exactly what we’d hoped for.
Annie summed up our day beautifully, saying, “We feel we created something very special today. You could feel it in the room. Everything we did today was born out of our own strong friendship, which is something we really value, and it was wonderful to share that with so many lovely, fun, and empathetic women.”
The power of women supporting women
The event was indeed a magical day of friendship, inspiration, and love. It was a reminder that age is just a number, and midlife is not a hurdle but an opportunity to thrive. Find Your Midlife Magic was more than an event; it was a testament to the strength of connection and the importance of supporting one another on this incredible journey of life.
Find Your Midlife Magic was a great reminder that midlife is our time to shine, and together, we can create our own magic.
Come and follow our journey over on instagram @finyourmilifemagic & Facebook
Age is just a number, and in midlife, old is indeed bold.
Until the next one,
Keep being fabulous
Rachel x
Photography @Kate Mallender
