When Gillian retired on her 60th birthday, she went home and wept. After a career which took her all over the world, she felt cut adrift and needed a new purpose in life.

Now, 20 years later, she’s a published author and has taken up a whole new line of work as a Registrar of Marriages.

From spending nine years as an Assistant Purser with P&O aboard Canberra and Oriana cruise ships, to a fulfilling 30 years of service with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Gillian’s career has taken her all over the world.

In this episode, she tells us about her time as a Personal Assistant to an Ambassador, with postings in the Philippines, Peru, Guatemala, Chile, Mexico City and Hungary. She’s lived and worked through some turbulent political times, all the while dedicated to her work and her colleagues.

Gillian reflects on her career and her retirement journey and shares some words of wisdom for those approaching retirement in the next few years.

Listen to this episode using the embedded player on this page, or by searching 'Civil Service Pensions Podcast', wherever you get your podcasts.

Useful links:

• Accessible version of this episode
• Transcript
• Planning for retirement – what are my options?
• Pension calculators
• Pension Portal