Girls make the link up

LB30: Celia Maloney, Val Jones, founder Wendy Wilson, Karen Croasdaile and Bluette Krogh.

By JOLENE OGLE

It is certainly an unconventional way to look for friends, but for Wendy Wilson, placing an advertisement in the local paper has yielded great results.
“I come from a small village in Scotland and when I moved here I was lonely, and I was missing my girl network.
“I knew it couldn’t be just me who felt like this, so I put an ad in the paper,” she said.
“It said ‘if you like cocktails at sunset or if you like giggling in the movies, then get in touch’. The response was overwhelming.”
Wendy received such a great response, she began the group Life Beyond 30 that now has 350 members throughout Noosa who get together regularly for social events.
“Life Beyond 30 (LB30) is something for me. It is somewhere I can go and be with friends,” she said.
“We have a huge spread of ages, from 30 right up to 71. Anyone who likes a bit of fun, really.”
For long-time member Bluette Krogh, LB30 provided a new lease on life.
“I feel like a teenager again. I’m doing things I have never done before,” she said.
LB30 members can take part in a number of events such as playing netball, joining a walking group, shopping trips to IKEA, drinks on a Thursday night, or the art group, which recently met to decorate bras for Pinktober.
The bras will be used to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation and breast cancer research and to also attempt to beat the current world record for the longest bra chain which is due to be held early next year.
The current record is held by the New Zealand Girl Guides and stretches an impressive 178 kilometres.
More details of the record attempt as well as information on how to donate bras will be released shortly.
Those who would like to find out more about LB30 should visit www.lifebeyond30.com.au.