Re-think Retirement - a Next-Up Podcast

From funeral to celebrant with Amanda Wheal

A series of bereavements inspired Amanda Wheal to become a celebrant after 30 years of teaching

After a long teaching career, Amanda Wheal took what her friends called a ‘brave’ step and trained as a celebrant. She had to learn about the business side too, which was challenging. But she has never enjoyed life so much. If you are looking for ideas after retirement, Amanda could inspire you too.

The former secondary school teacher, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, says: ‘I was getting a bit disen­chanted with teaching and was thinking about retiring when my brother died unexpectedly.

‘I was very involved in the funeral and we had an incredible celebrant. I just thought that was something l’ll really like to do.’

After completing her training while continuing to work as a teacher, Amanda estab­lished her business in 2020 and has now won awards for her work.

'I didn’t plan to retire as early as I did but, once I had completed my training, I was so keen to get started that I just went for it,’ she says.

‘I've had the most wonderful two years, it’s just been incredible.’

 

Journalist Peter Davenport travelled the world on top stories. Now in his 70s, he’s on Instagram with his Italian jackets and ties!

International journalist Peter Davenport met Hollywood icons Fred Astaire to John Wayne and Omar Sharif; was with the Royal Navy on HMS Illustrious in the Indian Ocean, flew to the Falklands with the RAF and was at Bloody Sunday in Londonderry. Moving to the ‘dark side’ of PR he started and built PR consultancies and now shares his experiences as a speaker. Author of two books and manager of a teenage rock band, Peter is still young at heart and enjoying life. Always a stylish dresser, he didn’t resort to meeting in pyjamas in Covid! Instead he started sharing his love of clothes on Instagram: @peterd67. Peter is a great example to us all – joyous and positive, trying new things and living life to the full!

Dr Angela Herbert MBE marked her 61st birthday by launching Made on Purpose with a focus on girls and women

Dr Angela Herbert MBE began a career in the Criminal Justice System over 37 years ago; first volunteering for 13 years in a young offenders’ institution and then working at a senior level in a London Prison before transferring to Prison Service policy in the Ministry of Justice.

Education and skills in prison and institutions is a key area of interest for Angela since people of African Heritage are consistently and disproportionately represented.

In April 2021, Angela marked her 61st birthday by launching Made on Purpose with a focus on girls and women. Her extensive career in criminal justice focused predominantly on men. Having survived and successfully navigated exceptional challenges as a woman of African Heritage, personally and professionally, she uses art to convey messages of hope. She defiantly, fist-pumps the sky with grit and determination to 'be'.

Made on Purpose aids others to consider their lived experiences as resources and stepping-stones to fulfil their unique life purpose. This is achieved through coaching, mentoring, training, public motivational speaking, written materials, webinars, podcasts, philanthropic activities, and charitable giving.

She published a book of 100 re-affirmations Another day to be... 100 re-affirmations to inspire (2021). 100% of profits from this range will be gifted to women's charities in the UK, Africa and Barbados, making positive use of the triangular trade route!

Lend your support by visiting Madeonpurpose.org

 

Andy Briggs is passionate about employers really thinking about age diversity. How should they do this?

Andy Briggs, group chief executive of the Phoenix Group and the UK Government’s Business Champion for the Ageing Society, describes his role as helping people secure a life of possibilities.  Very much in line with how Next-Up thinks!  We wanted to get an employer perspective on the issues of retirement to understand wider thinking.

 

African dance was the road to happiness – Genny Jones qualified as a teacher of African dance, shortly after her 60th birthday

Genny Jones wears many hats. She is a qualified account, accountancy teacher, life coach and qualified as a teacher of African dance, shortly after her 60th birthday. She also runs her own group with Gingerbread, the charity for single parents, to help herself and others.

How a bereavement ended up in finding purpose – Dr Julie Wilson helped to co-found a business with her daughter in unretirement

When Dr Julie Wilson’s mother-in-law died, she and her daughter realised something had to be done about end-of-life administration. She had been planning a packed retirement, travelling the world in a camper van.  But instead she agreed to start Settld with her daughter, Vicky Wilson. Together they have created a simple, secure online service that notifies all companies of a loved one’s death in one go and keeps users updated on account progress in a central place. 

Why start a business in your 60s? Dorthy Miller shares lessons learned from launching Prime Women

Dorthy Miller Shore launched Prime Women – an online magazine for women over 50 to fill a market gap. Why didn’t she just put her feet up?  Hear her lessons and inspiring story.   

She says that to be successful in unretirement you need to be willing to learn new things and be curious.

Briege Leahy sold her business – then what?

Hear how she created a completely new role and now making a real difference to entrepreneurs

Where do you start with reinventing yourself after 20 years at Accenture? Les Bayne shares his secrets

What’s the secret to reinventing yourself after a long corporate career? For Les Bayne dog walks, a few bottles of wine and spreadsheets, got him started. Now he is focused on helping Scottish companies grow, and Scotland reach its full potential, working with eight start-ups and chairing The Data Lab, innovation centre. Listen to hear about getting the balance right work and pleasure.

Abandoning unretirement to lead the vaccine supply chain – Ian McCubbin CBE

As the country faced the COVID crisis, Ian McCubbin abandoned his unretirement life to develop supply chains for the Oxford University and Imperial College vaccines. What was it like taking on that responsibility again?  And who helped him to do this?