Louise Minchin to join Christine Talbot at the Find Your Midlife Magic Day at Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate

This concept was simple: create a day-long event as a special and safe platform for women aged 45 and beyond to explore the varied issues related to life in the middle years and after, offering support and information in a fun, inspiring atmosphere.

The Fab Four, as they have become known among friends and fans, have all faced their own midlife challenges. Multi award-winning television presenter, journalist and host Christine Talbot has been one of the most recognisable faces and voices on Yorkshire TV for almost three decades. Rachel Peru, a Silver Curve model, body confidence activist and host of the Liberte Free to Be podcast, began a career in modelling aged 46 and now champions women in midlife, inspiring others to step out of their comfort zone.

Bernadette Gledhill is a Classic model and fashion event organiser, and aims to share her insight, gleaned over decades, to encourage women of all ages to embrace their own style and confidence. TV personality and Classic Silver model Annie Stirk is enjoying a newfound and accidental “retirement career” in modelling. She speaks out on a range of age-related issues, working to influence advertisers to represent midlife and beyond.

“We realised how much there is a need to address the unique challenges facing women in midlife and beyond,” she says. “Women in our age group are struggling with a myriad of issues, unresolved needs and desires, a drop in confidence, coping with medical issues, caring responsibilities and sometimes grief. We want to get together to discuss how to still be able to live a full and satisfying life, whatever your age.”

The second Find Your Midlife Magic Day takes place on October 1 at Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate. The focus remains firmly on exploring the challenges facing midlife women. Louise Minchin, the face of BBC Breakfast for 20 years before leaving in 2021, will appear in conversation with Christine to talk about carving out a new life as an author, freelance presenter and campaigner – as well as regularly taking on gruelling endurance challenges. Her third book, a novel called Isolation Island, is due out later this year.

Also joining the Midlife Magic 2024 line-up is flamboyant celebrity hairdresser and presenter of Channel 4’s Ten Years Younger, Andrew Barton, alongside twice winner of British Hairdresser of the Year, Robert Eaton of Russell Eaton salons in Leeds and Barnsley. Andrew and Rob will help style the winners of a “Stuck In A Rut” makeover competition, alongside expert make-up artists, with outfits from Leeds-based fashion brand Joe Browns and designs from Harrogate-based Legacy Jewellery, which makes bespoke pieces from preloved and inherited items. See below to enter.

Writer and podcaster Siobhan Daniels will tell how, as a retired radio and TV producer, she sold her possessions to hit the road in a new motorhome travelling the country and spreading a positive ageing message. She is host of the Retirement Rebel: Life After 60 Podcast and her book Retirement Rebel: One woman, One Motorhome, One Big Adventure, is a bestseller.

Author and TV medic Dr Jane Gilbert returns to answer questions on health challenges in midlife. She has a keen interest in supporting women through the challenges of the menopause and other midlife health issues.

There will also be beauty and fashion advice, and discussions around the problems related to caring responsibilities, as well as grief and ageing. Rachel says: “The 45-plus years is a time when many women are facing challenges through different life experiences, such as caring for elderly relatives, facing grief, health challenges or overwhelming changes in work and life patterns. We want to give tips on how to get the best out of these years.”

Their first FYMM event last October was a sellout, attended by around 100 guests, all women in their midlife years and beyond. Actor Gaynor Faye, who is currently touring in the stage version of The Syndicate, spoke for the first time publicly about life after the sudden death of her mother, screen and stage writer Kay Mellor, who first rose to fame with drama series Band of Gold.

Dr Gilbert told how some menopausal women were being offered antidepressants rather than HRT. “Menopause can affect your cognition, it causes brain fog, anxiety, sleeplessness, and that’s while we are struggling with adolescent or early 20s kids or parents who are ill, so it’s a lot, and it can really affect your self confidence,” she said. Women, she added, were also blaming themselves rather than asking their doctors why they were not following up-to-date guidelines.

Looking forward to this October’s event, Bernadette says: “This is such a warm, supportive, and inclusive day where women come together to talk about how they can help each other with the challenges that face many women in their midlife years. We know it will be incredibly uplifting.”

Christine adds: “It’s like a group of great girlfriends all sharing thoughts and ideas while getting invaluable advice from our experts. Each of our speakers have amazing stories to tell.”

On-board this year as sponsors is also Yorkshire-based, family-owned and operated motor company SG Petch, which has seven branches throughout the North East and Yorkshire.

Find Your Midlife Magic will take place at Rudding Park Hotel, Harrogate on Tuesday, October 1, from 9.30 am to 5pm. Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/findyourmidlifemagic/1219275

WIN A COMPLETE MID-LIFE MAGIC MAKEOVER AT RUDDING PARK HOTEL WITH JOE BROWNS, ANDREW BARTON & RUSSELL EATON

Are you stuck in a style rut? There are many reasons why midlife can throw up challenges surrounding how we look and feel, from the menopause, weight changes and illness through to divorce, the loss of a partner, or simply a lack of confidence.

We have teamed up with Find Your Mid-Life Magic, Joe Browns and Yorkshire celebrity hairdressers Andrew Barton and Robert Eaton of Russell Eaton to offer two lucky women the chance to win free tickets and a makeover at the Find your Mid-Life Magic all-day event at Rudding Park Hotel near Harrogate, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

THE PRIZE: The two winners will receive free entry for themselves and one guest each to the event. They will arrive in the morning to be introduced to the audience and then be whisked behind the scenes where Andrew and Robert will style and colour their hair, and Bernadette Gledhill with the fashion team at Joe Browns will work their magic so they leave with a new look and a new outfit, after revealing it to the audience at the end of the day.

HOW TO ENTER: This is open to any woman 45+ who is available on the day of Tuesday, October 1, 2024, and can provide her own transport to arrive at Rudding Park Hotel near Harrogate by 9am and leave no earlier than 5pm. Entrants can either nominate themselves or can be nominated by someone else (make sure that your nominee is free that day and willing to attend). Entrants from any family or close friend of any of the Find Your Midlife Magic team is not permitted.

We are looking for women who feel they have lost their way regarding their style, and who really deserve to be pampered. Both winners must be willing to share their story with the Mid-Life Magic audience. The two winners will be chosen by the Mid-Life Magic team and will be contacted by them.

To enter, send entries or nominations, explaining why you think you or your nominated woman deserves a pampering makeover, by email to: [email protected] to arrive by noon on June 28, 2024. If you enter yourself, please include your name, age and contact telephone number, and a simple, current photo of yourself or your nominee. If you nominate someone, please give their name, age and confirm their availability, and also give your own name and contact telephone number.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Normal National World competition rules apply, for more information go to: nationalworldplc.com/competition-prize-draw-terms-and-conditions. Open only to UK residents over 45 years. Bill payer’s permission must be obtained before entering. This is a National World competition. SMS service provided by BBA Digital Ltd KT18 5AD, Helpline 0333 3353351. Following the closing date one winner will be selected at random from all the correct entries received. National World privacy policy: nationalworldplc.com/privacy

Find Your Midlife Magic are the promoters of this competition. Entrants for this competition must be 45 years and over. Maximum of 2 tickets issued to the winner for the day – each winner can bring one guest. The winner will be chosen by the Midlife Magic team and must be available in person to come to Rudding Park Hotel from 9am to 5pm for the makeover and be introduced to the audience before and after the makeover and agree to photography and video coverage of the event for publicity purposes. Once selected, the winners will be notified by July 19, 2024, and will have 72 hours to claim the prize. Failure to reply to notification within this time period renders the competition void and a replacement winner will be selected and contacted. The winners will be contacted via email / phone. The winner must be available prior to the event to receive telephone calls/emails and to attend a fitting session in Leeds on an agreed date. Entrants from any family or close friend of any of the Find Your Midlife Magic team is not permitted. There is no cash or other alternative to the prize stated and the prize is not transferable, and no part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions. The name, email address and a contact number of the winner will be requested for prize fulfilment and may be passed to a third-party provider for prize arrangement. The competition winner may be invited and agree to take part in post-competition publicity as may be requested by the promoter. By accepting the prize, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the competition winner consents that the promoter may use his/her name, photograph, likeness (including his/her voice), hometown and biographical information and statements concerning the competition or the promoter and/or its products without further compensation or notice for the purpose of advertising, promotion, and merchandising, throughout the world in perpetuity, and the competition winner grants all rights to edit or modify and to publish and copyright such details. The decision is final and binding on the entrants. No correspondence will be entered into.