For lots of us, retirement is the time we’re looking to put our feet up and relax but for client Julie, it was the start of an adventure made possible by careful financial planning and informed investment.
Julie, from Nunthorpe retired from her role at a local council back in 2010. After a long career as a primary school teacher in the Tees Valley, and a nomination for ‘Teacher of the Year’ back in the 90s, Julie left the classroom to head up the very first ‘Surestart’ initiative in the UK, based in East Cleveland.
“I have always been passionate about education, but when my grandson was born in 2009, I realised I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could and made the decision to retire, at age 60”, said Julie.
As well as her teacher’s pension, Julie received a lump sum. Looking for a way to make her retirement special, Julie approached Active for help. This decision turned out to be transformative, enabling her to live her dream of seeing the world.
“To celebrate my 60th birthday I booked a trip to Botswana and since then I have travelled to 20 countries in 14 years – some trips as a single traveller and some with friends”
The list of countries Julie has visited includes India (3 or 4 times), Ethiopia, Madagascar, Jordan, Cambodia, Bhutan and Burma!
“I just love to visit different countries and experience other cultures.”
“A lot of my trips have been walking holidays, so after developing arthritis in my hip back in 2020, I thought that was the end of my long-haul adventures. I was also looking after my mum, who was 100 at the time as well as helping with childcare for my 3 grandchildren and I really struggled with the pain.
“In October 2022 I lost my mum and had a hip replacement in the space of a couple of weeks and when the fog lifted, I started to look forward to traveling again.”
Now, fully recovered, Julie is back to exploring the world. She has just returned from a two-week walking holiday in Thailand and is now looking forward to traveling to Japan in March 2025!
“My investment with Active was supposed to be a little safety net to help fund my retirement, but more than that it has given me the opportunity to travel the world – without the worry of work and using all of my holiday entitlement! It’s helped me live my dream!”
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