Retirement Rebel: One woman, one motorhome, one great big adventure

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Camarados puts people in charge of their own solutions through Mutual Aid – helping people who are not necessarily friends to self-organise to support each other through tough times. The main focus right now for the movement is to see communities set up Public Living rooms – a place to go on a tough day or when you’re lonely to help others and get connection and purpose.

I spent years worrying what other people thought and now I just want to be loud and take up space and be totally myself,” she says. She sees a similar sentiment in many women in her age group, for whom the confidence of later life is combining with a desire to set boundaries around one’s time and efforts, whether that’s rejecting grandparental childcare or being the go-to event caterer out of a materfamilias sense of duty. “We’re exiting relationships that no longer serve us, we’re saying no to things we don’t want to do; we’re cutting people out of our lives who don’t make us feel good,” she adds. “There’s a new mood and that mood is about grabbing life by the wotsits.” Maff’s best story though is setting up a homeless shelter in the World’s biggest building for Christmas, the millennium dome, for charity Crisis. I followed these steps and now, in my mid-sixties, I can honestly say that I live with more purpose and passion than I thought possible. So, whether you are close to retirement age, or a while off, take time to think about how you plan to live in later life, because, as Cicero said, “Old age is the crown of life, our play’s last act.” Camerados is a new social movement of people going through tough times who through mutual aid want people to get the two essentials: Connection and Purpose.It’s about an attitude, thinking for yourself and not accepting authority’: Frank Cutter. Photograph: Perou/The Observer

On Club Day, 17th October, TV presenters, campervanners and Club Members, Matt Alwright and Annabel Croft will be at the show talking about their touring adventures, Bake Off star and caravanner Karen Wright will be sharing memories of her summer European tour and author of 'Retirement Rebel', Siobhan Daniels, will be talking about her travels as a solo motorhomer. In this blog, George Jerjian – mindset mentor, coach and author – shares his journey to becoming a ‘Retirement Rebel’ and tells us why his passion and purpose is to inspire people entering retirement to do the same.An unconventional retirement wasn’t always on the cards for Siobhan. After working as a nurse for 9 years, in the 1980s she decided to retrain as a journalist after hearing an advert for a trainee reporters’ scheme run by the BBC. This opportunity led to a successful career as a reporter, presenter and producer on various programmes across regional BBC radio and TV. I feel more energised about the future and realise that action needs to be taken. I’ve already started by adapting my own business in the UK. I am grateful to George for his help and guidance, and I highly recommend both him and The DARE Method™” Lots of women I’ve spoken to have said that they’d love to do what I’m doing, but that they’re too scared,” says Siobhan. “But I was scared too! Don’t be afraid to ask for help – there will be a tribe of people out there who are feeling the same way.” But from her late 40s onwards, challenges – both personal and professional – began to emerge and Siobhan grew disillusioned. “As I was approaching 50, my daughter went off to university,” says Siobhan. “I’d been a single mum for years, and I started bragging to everyone that it was going to be ‘party time’! But it wasn’t that at all – I was quite miserable.”