Fit at 50#

so… where do I begin?

My life over the last 50 years plus has been an entertaining rollercoaster including lows and extreme highs, I was born in Epping Essex that makes me a posh Essex bird right?

My father was a musician with the band mandrake paddle steamer (you can find them on you tube) he was an all round musician a good one at that but, as we all know within the entertainment industry and a young age ego gets big!

My mother had me at the tender age of 19 and spent many months bringing me up in lambourne end, Abridge Chigwell Essex on her own, a very lonely time when my dad was touring uk and Europe with the band.

Sadly they split and my lavish childhood swimming around in a set of armbands in nexts doors swimming pool went from that to squeezing vinegar into the tomato sauce bottle on a council estate to make it last longer.

Life was tough for my mum being a single parent in the 70s wasnt easy eventually she met my stepdad and although they have had ups an downs like everyone they still remain together to this day! My real dad by now was on his fourth wife, I didn’t meet up again with him till I was 18 by which time I was out on a pedastal to show off to his mates down the pub.

I discovered I had a half brother from his second wife, but we are poles apart and I haven’t had contact with him in years it was like a case of blood brothers he had everything I never had posh educated lifestyle in the cotswolds family middle class while I played run outs with the other kids collecting pennies to get ice creams off the van that came round the estate each night.

I left home at 16 not under duress but my parents decided to move over 100 miles away better lifestyle no mortgage etc me boy I was determined I wasn’t going to live in the middle of nowhere so I went to work for the top greyhound trainer in the country Louis solomon my parents showed dogs so I got the job! Eventually I went into office work usual secretarial job I married had kids but I felt Like I’d lost my own identity it was an ownership over a relationship on my ex husbands part as well as an affair which afterwards I just lost all respect for him.

One day I just woke up with the realisation that it couldn’t continue I had work to do I was already working in rehabilitation privately after being a karate instructor for many many years during which time I achieved a European and world title in kumite.

Surely enough I felt miserable despite achieving everything and gaining amazing results with post stroke survivors the nhs could no longer help I felt something missing.

I had a fortune reading jo the reader explained that my whole career was about to change she wrote a name down on a piece of paper a local photographer she told me to contact him and have a photoshoot.

I had previously modelled during my teens for Davis agency based in Leytonstone briefly, to my joy I loved it here I was aged 50 doing pinup vintage !! I went on to support local charity military and boom joined Instagram I have an army of followers I’ve enjoyed numerous collaborations with companies then got discovered by caters media group my agent they recently ran a story on me which led to it going viral!!! Funnily enough it was about toyboys or younger men craving older women it hit headlines unexpectedly after I’d appeared in a well known magazine.

I didn’t want to just be known for having men 20 years my junior chasing me though, I have and continue to do important work mental health wise with people in less fortunate positions,

For me my message is simple it’s about engaging with women who through their own life experience feel they are in a rut in life, like Shirley Valentine talking to the rock on the beach I want them women to pin a note on the fridge and say tatt tar!

I am feisty, outspoken sometimes with the filter of a cheap sunscreen! But I am truly me, I am real I say things as they are and people who know me privately also know my heart is huge

Despite being asked out all the time by handsome younger men yes I since discovered I just love the vibrancy and creativity of them I am still single as single as a loaf of bread ha!

For me I’m fussy I feel I can only relate to someone who is an artist within entertainment who understands that story line headers we have no control over, I’ve appeared in the sun the mirror opera news yahoo news but to name a few..

I’m better known as tara nightingale you see .. yes me the woman who in two weeks time is jumping 12,000ft from a plane skydiving for the hell of it but raising money for two normal families experiencing difficulties with sick children.

To all women and men out there mental health life experience it’s what defines us makes us unique.

I want you to sit down and take reflection are you happy? Do you wish you could achieve more but have no confidence? Trust me it’s not easy but then nothing worth gaining is.

Our fear is what holds us back in life if we face that fear like me jumping out the plane next month nothing can stop us as the saying goes fortune favours the brave !

Be that shining star 🌟 bless each of your days for tomorrow is never promised x