It feels very exciting to be bringing this to you, I just hope there will be enough of us who’d like to spend an evening together chatting over dinner to give us the numbers we need for our booking. I love our evening get togethers but I always leave feeling I haven’t had enough time to talk to everyone properly. And the thing is that we have a rare group here – women who have no agenda other than really interesting conversations that skip the chitchat and get straight into the ups and downs of midlife.

I’m really keen to start developing this community into one that is about more than just me writing and you reading. I’d like to think that we can be friends and supporters of each other over the years ahead – in real life as well as online. I’m finding that as I get older and can see that more time will start opening up ahead, I’ll have space for new friends. I still love my old ones but I find with some that we’re no longer walking the same path. Lots of you have said the same over the years and it makes sense, we all change as we go through life and adjust to new circumstances. So I’m looking forward to adding some new like-minds into the mix.

So, let me tell you about the first overnight event that I’ve planned along with my old chum Claudia Bradby and new friend Elaine Clueit who has stepped from the reader to brilliant new buddy camp. Elaine has been our woman on the ground in the wonderful city of Birmingham, her home town, and she’s pulled together something that feels quite special for our first stay together.

On Saturday 9th August we’re holding 32 rooms at Malmaison In Birmingham city centre. The plan is that we’ll get there around lunchtime to drop off our bags and then anybody who would like to can go on one of the National Trust’s Back To Back tours where we’ll step back in time and experience what it was like to live crammed into these unique buildings that centred on a shared courtyard. The working people of Birmingham lived there between the 1840s and the 1970s and their lives have been recreated so that this slice of urban social history isn’t forgotten.

If it isn’t your thing, we’ll have a guide to Birmingham for you when you check in so that you can go off and explore or perhaps do a spot of shopping. Of course I’m going to mention the iconic Selfridges building because Mal and I worked hard on its development… but other stores are available!

Claudia and I will be back at Malmaison for around 3pm, ready to chat with anyone who just wants to relax there.

Then we’ll all throw something on for dinner and meet for a drink at about 5.30pm when she and I will do one of our ‘fireside chats’ about midlife (it won’t be the same as last time)… and of course pearls. There will then be lots of Claudia’s jewellery with mirrors so that you can play around and try things on. Claudia will be on hand with styling advice so it’s the perfect opportunity to learn about jewellery layering, leaving you with plenty of ideas about how to mix the things you already have with new pieces.

Then it will be time for a very relaxed dinner with wine and, I have no doubt, lots of laughter and conversation. Breakfast is included the next morning and we can relax over coffee until checkout at 11am when you’re free to continue exploring Birmingham or make your way home. Hopefully you’ll go with lots of new friends saved in your phone and you’ll be keen for us to do it all again lots of times over the years to come.

Now, booking is a little bit tricky because we need to do it in two parts. Below you’ll find the link to confirm your place and pay £51.08 for your dinner which comes with half a bottle of wine or mineral water as well as a welcome drink. When we’ve received enough bookings (we need 29) we’ll email you a code which will give you a discount on your room. If we don’t get enough people, the money you’ve paid for dinner will be refunded along with the booking fee.

You’ll need the hotel code we send you to book your room directly with Malmaison at our discounted rate of £145. There are 29 rooms on hold and we need to confirm numbers by 21st March or they will be released. Please try and come if you can, it should be an interesting and fun weekend filled with brilliant likeminded women, all taking a chance on making a new group of friends.

Reserve your place here now for £51.08 (weird price I know – blame the Eventbrite booking fee!)