I know what it’s like to be a midlife widow (and it’s
nothing like Bridget Jones) As Renée Zellweger’s latest film is released in cinemas, five women share their experience of grief after losing their husbands
Life, Love and Laughter… in the club that nobody wants to join.
At the most difficult times in our lives, it’s often our friends who help us through. When she lost her husband, Yvonne Vann found her social life had disappeared – but with one great idea, buckets of courage and lots of laughter, she has started a movement, and nothing can stop her from helping other widows to have fun.
When Yvonne lost her husband, Victor, she yearned to talk to others who really understood. So she came up with a truly life enhancing idea. The Merry Widows Club
When a local newspaper picked up the story Yvonne realised that with a little organisation she could create a Social Network for widows. The Jolly Dollies was launched online. The name, silly though it may be, reflects the importance of seeing the lighter side of life after you have lost the one you love.
Finding Joy through Loss
Meet The Jolly Dollies: A nationwide group of women who are united by one thing – losing people they love. Gemma talks to some of the ‘Dollies’ about how their community has given them a sense of happiness and strength through turbulent times.
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Every day around 500 women are widowed in the UK, but a new network is helping them rebuild their lives through friendship, fun and fighting spirit.
Meet The Jolly Dollies – the networks name was chosen to give women permission to be happy again. It was my saviour. It gave me hope.
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Through our shared grief, our friendship grew. We’d been bought together by a devastating coincidence. We were both widows.
Whilst my family listened to me talk about missing Vic, how could I expect them to understand how I felt? As the years passed, I felt more isolated. Then I met a lady, I recognised the anguish in her eyes, we talked, I told her everything – something I had never wanted to burden my children with.
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A social group for Widows in Teignbridge talk to a local paper in Devon. ‘It’s a real lifeline for us and other widows who have lost their life partner may be feeling lonely and would like to meet others in similar situations’.
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Going for a coffee, or to the cinema – it’s the hardest when you’re a widow. But a new group has been set up in Dorset to offer support, advice and most importantly friendship to women who have lost their husbands.
The Jolly Dollies Social Network for Widows was founded by Yvonne Vann who lost her husband.
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The social network: How Yvonne Vann got The Jolly Dollies online.
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Tricia Cusden launched Look Fabulous Forever in 2013, aged 65. Her idea was simple; she wanted to create products which were specifically formulated to enhance the beauty in older faces. She also wanted to celebrate age rather than promoting anti-ageing.
LFF runs an Ambassadors Programme, highlighting the lives and careers of some inspirational women who have been quietly getting on with being Fabulous in their chosen field.
Yvonne the Founder of The Jolly Dollies was an ambassador.
