Friendship group, Nene & Welland Oddfellows is inspiring local retirees to give their retirement a ‘glow-up’ by switching from a ‘To Do’ to a ‘To Be’ mindset.

The Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire based Society, made up of over 400 mostly older and retired members, says it’s easy to get stuck in a rut once initial ‘things to do’ lists are ticked off.

But retirees shouldn’t miss out on living a more fulfilling and authentic life, the friendship group adds, explaining how its regular events held in and around Peterborough, Stamford, Market Deeping and Pinchbeck are great ways to get a retirement that glows.

This message is backed by ‘Doctor of Happiness’ Dr Andy Cope, who has spent two decades studying the science of positive psychology and human flourishing. He explained: “Retirement is the perfect opportunity to have a psychological spring clean, and to shift our mindset from ‘when’ to ‘now’.

“Too often, we spend our lives chasing goals, which means we can accidentally kick our happiness into the long grass.

“With retirement, you can fall into the trap of only creating ‘To Do’ lists and they are often quite mundane tasks, and they tend to run out once you’ve ticked off that holiday, or you’ve sorted out the house or garden. But if you make the switch to asking yourself what you want ‘To Be’ today, it’s incredibly powerful and rewarding.”

Dr Cope added: “Everyone’s ‘To Be’ list is different. Thinking about what kind of person you want to be gives you focus. For example, if you want to be a nice person, then you need to be kind, compassionate and present for those around you. If you want to be more adventurous, spend the day focusing on being curious and bold, and give new things a try.”

Branch Secretary for Nene & Welland Oddfellows, Karen Earth, added: “Retirement isn’t just about finishing work. It’s your chance to re-invent, re-energise and start living life like you mean it. That means new friends, new adventures and a new perspective.

Pauline, Enid and Rex at the Spring Quiz and Buffet

“Our local friendship group is here to help you explore what’s possible in retirement – at your own pace and in your own way. You’ll find friendly faces, interesting events, chances to volunteer, and group holidays to look forward to. There’s also wellbeing advice and plenty of opportunities to feel more connected in your community.

“No matter what you need to help you flourish, we can help you glow in retirement.”

Nene & Welland Oddfellows has a busy schedule of events planned for the summer months. The group has suggested the following meetups as great tasters for any interested retirees. These is a chocolate taste testing and talk on Tuesday 15 July at 11am (£7 for non-members) and a Coffee Morning (donation) on Sunday 31 August at 11am, both at Oddfellows Hall, 57 Church Street, Market Deeping. PE6 8AN. There is also an Alpaca Meet and Greet in Crowland on Saturday 16 August, 10:30am for £6 per person.

Former Accountant, David Hitchcock, from Deeping, retired six years ago and has been a member of Nene & Welland Oddfellows for 20 years. He originally joined to make the most of the benefits and make sure he always had something interesting to look forward to. Now he is a Trustee and on the Committee of Management.

David is pictured middle left at Penfield Nature Reserve with Augy, the guide and Nene & Welland Oddfellows

David said: “Initially, you enjoy the free time doing things around the home, but you soon start to miss people and having a laugh. Meeting up with a real mix of people regularly and taking part in lots of different activities has really helped me to enjoy my retirement more. Some people just turn up for one or two events a year, while others are at six or seven events a month.”

The Oddfellows aims to improve its members’ lives through friendship and support. As well as its events, Oddfellows members can access a variety of benefits including care and welfare support and a travel club. There are also opportunities to volunteer and take part in fundraising initiatives.

To find out more about Nene & Welland Oddfellows and its upcoming events, get in touch with Karen Earth on [email protected] or call 01778 342006.

To learn more about how to give your retirement a ‘glow-up’, join the Oddfellows and Dr Andy Cope for an inspiring free online event on Tuesday 1 July at 7pm. Further information is available at www.oddfellows.co.uk/retirement.

Open to anyone, Dr Cope’s Zoom event will share powerful insights on how to thrive in retirement by living with purpose and focusing on what truly matters. With his trademark blend of warmth, humour, and down-to-earth wisdom, this talk promises to leave you uplifted, motivated, and ready to embrace all the possibilities of this exciting chapter of life.