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

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&amp;O aboard Canberra and Oriana cruise ships, to a fulfilling 30 years of service with the Foreign &amp; 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:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/7UvSn7bCcZE">Accessible version of this episode</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/media/gcebmbiq/podcast-transcript-s3e1-a-leap-into-the-dark-gillians-story.pdf">Transcript</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/planning-for-retirement/">Planning for retirement – what are my options?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/knowledge-centre/tools-and-calculators/pension-calculators/">Pension calculators</a></li>
<li><a href="https://members.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/">Pension Portal</a></li>
</ul>

The Civil Service Pension Scheme is one of the best workplace pension schemes in the UK public sector. But what makes it so good?

We want members of the scheme to feel informed and empowered when it comes to planning for their financial future, but we know that pensions can feel complicated and difficult to understand.

This podcast aims to make things simple - whether you're working or retired, if you've left the Civil Service - or even if you're thinking about joining the Civil Service - there's something for everyone.

Hosts Rob Walker and Emily Eccles from MyCSP (the scheme administrator for Civil Service Pensions) take things back to basics. Their conversations will help you get to grips with your pension and even make some informed decisions about your future. No question is too small and no answer is too complex.

Each episode explores different aspects of the scheme. With expert guests and members talking about their life experiences and perspectives, and how these events have affected their views on retirement and their pension. Each informative episode could help you think about your pension in different ways.

Many people believe that a pension is something to think about later in life, or something to get round to dealing with eventually. That just isn't true. It’s never too early to start saving or planning for your future beyond work.

Your pension is one of your most valuable assets and the decisions you make now can have a huge impact further down the line. It is a crucial personal financial benefit and your ticket to living your best life when you're no longer working. It's key to making your retirement years as fulfilling and rewarding as possible.

From learning the basics, we explore a number of topics surrounding pensions and the scheme itself. Our first series features case studies of members in their 20s and 30s through to retirement, as well as discussions around the Gender Pension Gap, discovering how common life events can affect your ability to save for the future and the steps you can take to boost your pension.

Even if you've never worked for the Civil Service before, this podcast is full of useful information and advice for anyone with a workplace pension. We hope you enjoy it.

To find out more about the scheme, visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

The Civil Service Pension Scheme is one of the best workplace pension schemes in the UK public sector. But what makes it so good?
We want members of the scheme to feel informed and empowered when it comes to planning for their financial future, but we know that pensions can feel complicated and difficult to understand.
This podcast aims to make things simple - whether you're working or retired, if you've left the Civil Service - or even if you're thinking about joining the Civil Service - there's something for everyone.
Hosts Rob Walker and Emily Eccles from MyCSP (the scheme administrator for Civil Service Pensions) take things back to basics. Their conversations will help you get to grips with your pension and even make some informed decisions about your future. No question is too small and no answer is too complex.
Each episode explores different aspects of the scheme. With expert guests and members talking about their life experiences and perspectives, and how these events have affected their views on retirement and their pension. Each informative episode could help you think about your pension in different ways.
Many people believe that a pension is something to think about later in life, or something to get round to dealing with eventually. That just isn't true. It’s never too early to start saving or planning for your future beyond work.
Your pension is one of your most valuable assets and the decisions you make now can have a huge impact further down the line. It is a crucial personal financial benefit and your ticket to living your best life when you're no longer working. It's key to making your retirement years as fulfilling and rewarding as possible.
From learning the basics, we explore a number of topics surrounding pensions and the scheme itself. Our first series features case studies of members in their 20s and 30s through to retirement, as well as discussions around the Gender Pension Gap, discovering how common life events can affect your ability to save for the future and the steps you can take to boost your pension.
Even if you've never worked for the Civil Service before, this podcast is full of useful information and advice for anyone with a workplace pension. We hope you enjoy it.
To find out more about the scheme, visit <a href="http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk">www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk</a>

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