Coronation Celebration Street Party

Our local St Matthews’ Residents’ Association

(SMRA) held it’s Coronation Street Party on Sunday 7th May, the day after the Coronation of King Charles III.

Whilst there were some grey clouds above, the party got underway, with people bringing out the bunting, the tables and chairs, as well as all the party food and bubbly!

The magician wove his magic along the tables then kept the children enthralled with his tricks.

There was a competition for the Best Decorated Cake and the Best Dressed Dog competition. Some of the entrants are pictures opposite.

The sun came out and a good time was had by all.

Hope you all enjoyed your street party as well.

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The thought of dating again can feel overwhelming at any stage in life, but putting yourself out there later in life can feel particularly intimidating. So how do you know if you’re really ready to dip a toe back into the dating pool?

When you’re young, friends who think you’re not settled down start trying to pair you off. This can happen again when you’re older; friends who are couples used to being together may think you’ll only be happy if you are in a relationship like them. But the first rule of dating in later life is to do things in your own time, when you feel it’s right, not when someone else feels it’s right for you.

Ask yourself: “Am I ready?”

Whether you’re on your own after the loss of a spouse, divorce or splitting up with a long-term partner, when will you be ready to begin dating again?

Generally speaking, the best time to start dating is when you feel confident and happy in your own skin, and when you aren’t seeking the affirmation of someone else. Some people arrive at this point more slowly than others – everyone has their own timeline, and love isn’t something that should be rushed.

In fact, scientists suggest it’s our relationship with ourselves that lays the foundations for all other interactions, and that self-love could be the secret to a healthy, fulfilling relationship with a significant other.

What else to consider

With a bit more age comes a bit more baggage. And it’s highly likely that your new date/online matches will most likely have been married before.

You and your date might have children from other relationships and it can be difficult knowing how to introduce a new partner to children or loved ones. However, don’t let your former life interrupt your new one – and hopefully any children will be supportive and happy for you now that you feel the time is right to move on. Dating in your 50s and beyond inevitably means you’ve lived and loved before and your combined experiences will mean you’ll both have endless stories to share!

Online dating

Online dating is bigger than ever, with around four in ten couples now meeting this way. You can take plenty of time getting to know someone via phone, email, or video chat before actually meeting up with them in person. And if you speak to someone online and instantly realise that they aren’t the person for you, then it’s much easier to cut contact politely.

Like everything in life, online dating does come with some negatives, such as trying to weed out the good dating profiles from the bad, not being able to form a first impression of someone based on physical interaction and, of course, concerns about scams.

It’s important to remember that when talking to someone new online, you should never give out personal information that could put you or your finances in jeopardy. This includes, but is not limited to, your home address and your bank details.

Whatever happens, try to remember that there are plenty more fish in the sea and the right person will be out there somewhere! And sometimes you just can’t hurry love…