Female Friendships
As it’s the topic of our magazine this week I thought I’d talk about women and what my female friendships mean to me which is everything.
I’ve always valued my female relationships I was lucky enough to enjoy a strong healthy bond with my mother who in turn had a collection of fabulous female friends who all became part of my life. Back in the 60’s it would have been considered inappropriate to refer to an adult by their first name, so I prefixed my mother’s friend’s names with the word ‘Aunty’ out of respect. Mark in the early days of our relationship thought we were a huge family as he heard me speaking to or referencing my Aunties, when in fact my mum was an only child. Looking back, and life makes more sense backwards, the aunties had a great influence on my approach to forging friendships and professional alliances with other women, also, from thirteen to eighteen I attended an all-girls Grammar school. Single sexed education is often attacked for not preparing girls for ‘real life’ but my experience was the complete opposite. At a girls school there was no role play, if we put on a concert it wasn’t the strong boys that shifted scenery it was one of us, we lugged trestles out for the summer bring and buy, no sport could intimidate us or any other teenage activity come to think of it and the only people I now feel sorry for were the hapless young male teachers two of whom we could have scared for life with our teenage anticks. I saw a birthday card the other day and sent it to one of my oldest pals it said, ‘Who needs a therapist when I have you’ Our female ability to talk, share and openly cry with our friends is a superpower and its warming to witness men finally realising its emotional benefits.
Earlier this month we celebrated ‘International Women’s Day’ and it was my honour publicly to highlight the achievements of a woman I admire and have known for many years. Last week I was with Dorothy Purdew OBE celebrating her 91st Birthday in a room crammed with warmth, fun, friendship, respect and so much love. The ‘Room’ you might have heard of it was Champney’s Henlow Grange, Dorothy’s second resort and the one that changed the face of health farms forever. The Girl from Clapham who began at 38 with a sliming club attracting just 5 members had a vision that health, fitness and luxury should not be for the rich and famous but accessible and affordable to all. She knocked down walls (literally) dusted herself down when things went wrong and never took no for an answer when she believed she was right - Generally Dorothy is right! She’s scooped me up, been kindness itself and in times of strife the WWDD (What Would Dorothy Do) factor has come into my thinking and served me well. So, thank you Dorothy, the Aunties and Mum for showing me the way and I hope over the years I pass their wisdom on to my younger female friends and family.
Article originally from My Weekly!