It feels likely that we are in for a long and rather challenging winter. Next weekend the clocks will go back an hour, giving us (for a while) lighter mornings but also presaging the short days and longer nights of the winter season here in the Northern Hemisphere. When the UK went into full lockdown at the end of March, we had a different prospect of moving towards rather than away from the light.
However, it was a time of great uncertainty and some fear, so I came up with the idea of creating a community of like-minded women in a private members’ group on Facebook called Tricia’s Super Troopers and of making a daily video to go out on weekdays at 4pm which we called ‘Teatime at the Ritz with Tricia’. During April, May, June and early July I posted over 60 videos which were designed to (hopefully) be entertaining, inspiring and to help you to (in Churchill’s wartime phrase) Keep Buggering On.
The spirit of both Super Troopers and Teatime at the Ritz was ‘let's get through this together with some kindness, love and support and maybe have a bit of fun along the way’.
Many of you have been kind enough to say that both of these initiatives were a godsend to you during lockdown. That in various ways they really helped you to feel better about the weird times we were living through and kept your morale higher than might have been the case. When my stock of ‘interesting things to talk about for 20 minutes’ was depleted, we decided to change the format to a fortnightly interview via Zoom with someone we thought our customers might like to meet during a live session with a Q&A at the end. We also recorded this so that everyone could enjoy it later via video if they missed the live session. These have proved very successful, fun and informative and I am delighted to tell you that our next interview on Tuesday 26th October at 4pm will be with Robin Ellis, the original ‘Poldark’ who now lives in south west France and is a very successful cookery writer specialising in healthy Meditteranean food.
Now that restrictions are tightening once more, I have been wracking my brains for new and interesting ways to keep us all entertained and engaged during the long winter months, so today I am launching three new ideas to keep us all entertained which I hope you will feel as excited about as I do!
A Film Club.
My idea is that we all watch a particular film and then come together via Zoom to discuss it in smallish groups. Why a film club rather than a book club? Because committing to watching a film for a couple of hours feels less demanding, and I really do prefer to read for pleasure rather than with a particular purpose in mind.
How this will work:
Film club will meet at 4pm every other Friday starting on the 30th October. The chosen film will be available on Curzon Home Cinema which has a huge library of films as well as latest releases. Curzon Home Cinema works exactly the same as visiting a cinema. You go to the site, select the film and pay to watch it during the next 48 hours of rental. There is no subscription (like Netflix or Sky for example) so no ongoing cost. Our first Film Club Film is ‘Hope Gap’, a new film starring Annette Benning and Bill Nighy. You can read about it here https://www.curzonhomecinema.com/film/watch-hope-gap-film-online. And if you would like to join in the discussion the first one will be live via Zoom on Friday 30th October at 4pm. Links to all the upcoming Zoom sessions will be posted at the end of every weekly blog and also on the Super Troopers as a reminder. You do not need to be a member of Super Troopers to join any of the sessions - they are for all of you.
Tricia Talks.
This is the same idea as a Ted Talk. It’s open to all of you and I am encouraging you to find your voice in order to share something that you are passionate about. It can be about anything that excites, inspires or interests you and which you think others would like to hear. So, in a live Zoom session, lasting for about 15-20 minutes you would give us your talk and afterwards you would take questions from me and also from the audience. I am delighted to tell you that our very first Tricia Talk will be led by Super Trooper Marieke Derrington on Tuesday 20th October at 4pm. Marieke qualified as a midwife aged 47 and worked as a community midwife in the Manchester area until her retirement four years ago. Marieke has a fascinating and interesting story to tell about her involvement since her first visit in February 2018 with Potter’s Village in rural SW Uganda, a child crisis and medical centre offering care and new hope to young children and babies abandoned at birth. Details for how to join this session below.
All About Me - A Conversation with Tricia.
My final idea is to create opportunities for you all to take us into your world for a while. The format for this would be a conversation with me via Zoom. I just feel that you are such a lively, passionate and interesting group of women that there must be a thousand and one stories out there that we’d all love to hear. Possible topics are:
My passion:
Are you an artist, a musician, an embroiderer, a quilt maker, a singer, a knitter, a landscape gardener, a writer, an historian, or a sportswoman etc etc? Take us into your world and tell us and maybe also show us why and how you love what you do. This doesn’t have to be at a professional level - it can be your hobby.
My Life in This Place:
Where are you in the world? What do you love about it that makes it special? Take us into your locality and tell us a little of its history or geography or community that makes it so special to you. Or choose a ‘happy place’ that you have always loved and tell us why it's so special for you.
How to:
Maybe you could teach us something new or encourage us to try something new. Perhaps you have come late to a new hobby or past-time and you could show us what you have learnt or achieved and how we might also have a go. For instance you could even do a short cookery demonstration (channel your inner Nigella) to create our very own STBO - Super Troopers Bake Off.
Coping with Major Life Events:
A discussion about the experience and challenges of coping with those life events that make happen to us as we get older: retirement, later life marriage, a bereavement, a major illness, a family trauma, downsizing, moving to another area. Any ideas or coping strategies you might like to share with us so that we might be inspired, reassured or helped by your experiences.
Achieving a Lifetime Goal:
Have you set yourself some special goal in life that you have subsequently achieved? Maybe you had to wait until retirement to do it because you never had the time before? Share that experience with us and tell us how and why you did it and what it meant to you.
How to Get Involved
Please remember that this is designed for us to find community and to share something of ourselves within that community. It’s not a rehearsal for great motivational speakers or coaches. I have been absolutely overwhelmed by what I have seen of you all both in comments under this blog and also in posts on the Super Troopers page. So much wisdom, so much talent and so much strength! Why not share some of that with us so that we can get through the winter with a sense of anticipation and enjoyment because there’s a really great Tricia Talk you want to hear, an interesting and thought provoking film to watch and discuss, and someone who is going to show us all how to make a cracking sourdough loaf or how to make some novel Christmas gifts! So, if you’d like to do a Tricia Talk or an All About Me Conversation, please contact me at marketing@lookfabulousforever.com and I will set up a call with you so that we can hear your ideas and set a date for your contribution. And if you want to join the Film Club, just watch the film ‘The Hope Gap’ and then click on the link below to join in the discussion on Friday 30th October at 4pm. I am SO looking forward to meeting you all!
To join a Zoom meeting you just need to save the link below. At 3.55 pm on the afternoon of the event just click on the link and you will be admitted to the meeting. We look forward to seeing you all!
Hello! Unfortunately, I had to miss the last two Tuesday talks and would love to watch the recordings. I've had a look through your site, but can't find them. Please would you be kind enough to let me know where I should go. I really enjoy these sessions and participating in the after talk chats.
Not sure what happened there Jenny. Our distribution centre has various sized boxes to use - must have chosen the wrong one for some reason. We used to use silver jiffy bags but received complaints about the fact that they couldn't be recycled - so we changed to boxes. Tx
Hi Trish and team. Love your blogs and the makeup, but please can you put the items in a smaller box or even a jiff bag. I had an enormous box delivered today for such a small item. That also would make the package and posting much cheaper.
Kind regards
Dear Tricia
I really enjoyed the Film Club, it’s a great idea. Like you I’ve
I’ve always loved film, we have a local cinema here in Wadebridge which is open
And we are supporting. Look forward to the next film review!
Love Rosie
Really enjoyed your chat with Robin Ellis this afternoon, thank you so much. It really brightened up a very dreary and depressing day! Apologies I had to leave at the half-hour point but hope the group chats worked well.
Loving my new make-up and thrilled to have found ‘Look Fabulous Forever’.
What great ideas - I hopefully will be able to join in some of them - work permitting.
I love the idea of the film watching ‘together’ as even if someone couldn’t join in the Zoom discussion, they will be suggestions of what us LFF ladies might find interesting and a good diversion to current issues we might be facing.
Plus if you are anything like me - the thought of going to the cinema by myself renders the idea null and void.
I’d just like to say how thrilled I am to discover your website through an email I received from “Annabel and Grace”. I have been feeling a bit flat with all the strange goings on in the world at the moment - and a bit old, too. Having had a thorough look at your website I’m feeling much inspired and I will be ordering some make up from you to show the world that there is life in the old dog yet! Thank you for lifting my spirits.
I really like the ideas outlined here. I would love to be able to join you and others in your community. I don't do Face Book and I'm pleased to see that an FB account is nor a prerequisite!
Great ideas, Tricia! It's a bit gloomy here with the second wave of COVID hitting us and winter coming. But participating in one or more of your clubs would certainly brighten things up. You are a true inspiration!
Hi Tricia, once again you’ve come up with some brilliant ideas. I am filled with admiration for all the TSTs that have given their own ‘beauty blogs’ and have really enjoyed watching them, the thought of doing one myself fills me with dread! However, I look forward to the film club and who knows, perhaps one day I may be inspired to share one of my passions..........! Take care.
Some good ideas. Thank you. I will certainly try and do one or two, but I already have similar activities going on with a couple of other groups which are closer to home. Good luck
Will these be recorded as other talks have been? 4pm your time is 10 am my time and I am usually out walking then.
Also, I wish it was easier to find things on the Super Troopers page. I’m having trouble finding all the beauty blogs currently being posted. Maybe they could be all located in an album on the page so they would all be together.
This happened during other competitions. Would love to see all the entries in one place (an album) so they are easily found.
Wow! Really fabulous ideas, Tricia. People are all so interesting with unique stories to tell. I hope I can join your zoom talks. If not, due to work & family commitments, will they be available to catch up somehow please? Film Club is another great idea - pity each costs £9.99 when we already pay so much (hubby’s choice
Could I make a suggestion for future amusement.
I love Desert Island Discs not only for the interesting life stories but to hear other people's choice of music. It is such a huge subject and through DID I have heard some wonderful music I didn't know existed! Mostly classical which I know nothing about at all.
I’m sure Sooper Troupers would love to share their favourites with us.
Hello Tricia and ladies everywhere, I tried to send a comment earlier but I am not sure it went through.
Tricia this is a brilliant idea and as I wrote in my earlier comment, it is a wonderful opportunity to give and receive to others.
Thank you and I am really looking forward to being a part of it in one way or another.
Charmaine
Hi Janet
I'd say that you can just come into the film club discussion and listen rather than contribute to it - I promise you that it won't be scary! Tx
Did you know, Tricia, that a souper trouper is a strong light used on stage. (I only know that because my daughter in law is a lighting engineer). Thanks for all you are doing, it gives us something to think about and look forward to. This must be so helpful to those living alone. What fun too.
You certainly kept us going during lockdown Tricia and actually gave us the boost many of us needed. This new phase we’re in I fear may be worse. We may not be in total lockdown but possibly because the situation is dragging on for so long feels never-ending. I for one feel a bit lower than I did earlier about heading into the winter months. Your ideas sound good though. Curzon Home Cinema appeals to me. I’ll enjoy seeing other ladies on Tricia Talks but I personally don’t think I could do it. I don’t think I have enough to say. Thank you for continuing to think up ideas.
Thank you Tricia, more wonderful ideas to keep us entertained this winter. Do appreciate all the effort/work you put in to Super Troopers. I will try to get involved at some point.
What a wonderful collection of ideas and you have really put a smile on my face now that the winter has so many lovely things to put in my very empty diary. Thank you so much Tricia
The programme sounds fascinating Tricia and as much as I love you and would like to be part of it,it would be 2am here in Brisbane so I will content myself with watching it later.
Cheers
Just quickly read through your latest blog - I do look forward to Sunday mornings to read your comments and ideas. Overwhelmed with your wonderful ideas and suggestions and will definitely be trying a few of them. Thank you so much for all you are doing for us during these so, so difficult times. Keep safe
What do I think? I think all of your ideas are excellent, enabling us to come together with like minded people, making us feel inclusive and part of a bigger community. Thankyou for your honest, forthright and open opinions on many issues as I look forward to your blog every Sunday.
One question I have is that I would like to ‘sit in’ on topics, especially the Film Club but due to my shy nature, not be able to offer vocal contributions but would enjoy the chat.
Thankyou Tricia again for all your hard work.
Best wishes
Janet
I would be interested in doing a talk/demo on exercising, particularly using weights, for over 50's and the importance of maintaining leg muscle mass to prevent falls.
What wonderful ideas! I don’t have anything interesting to contribute I’m afraid, but I’m actually looking forward to winter now. Thank you so much for your work on this.
Absolutely fantastic Tricia. I can’t wait for these initiatives to start, I think they will be great and what a wonderful way to connect with other LFF ladies around the world. It’s a wonderful opportunity to give and receive.
Thank you.
Charmaine
Just to say, thankyou Trish. I am not able to commit to the Zoom meetings but your interviews , videos and blogs are wonderful and I just thank you for making this year more bearable . I love participating in Super Troopers page and when this is over it would be brilliant if we really could go to the Ritz for tea, who knows .In the meantime you continue to inspire me and entertain . It is a lot of work and effort on your part and I want you to know it is all trully appreciated .
Hugs
Sue Aston
