How Community Helped My Transition To Retirement

This guest blog has been written by former NEC member, Teresa Bottomley, who recently became branch secretary of her local retired branch.

Before I retired from teaching, I was able to gradually cut down my working days from five to one, and this gave me time to figure out how to fill all of the extra hours in the day.

I was able to read books, meet friends who lived further away, and potter in the garden. I also had time to take over as president of my local Women’s Institute (WI), where I had been a committee member for a long time and where I had already made some very kind and supportive friends.

I also joined a local, friendly sports centre, which helped me to keep reasonably fit, and has proved another effective way to get me out of the house and meet other people for a chat. 

When I finally retired from work, I already had a purpose, and this meant that I approached post-career life with anticipation, rather than a feeling of dread. I knew that I wanted to continue to go into school, but not as a regular commitment. I now help with school trips, if I’m free, and help in the reception class, when I can. 

I was really pleased with my plan to gradually move from working life to retirement, but I hadn’t really considered how I would feel about not being a part of Community.

When I finished my four-year term on the NEC last November, it really hit me how much I missed being part of it all and I especially missed the friendships that I had made.

This is why I requested to go to the union’s Biennial Delegate Conference (BDC) earlier this year. The decision turned out to be a very good one because I ended up becoming branch secretary of my retired branch! From there I was invited to join the Retired Members Steering group, where we discussed what we thought retired members would want from Community.  

After the branch secretaries for retired members held its first quarterly meeting,  I was able to contact my branch members via email. Joining a retired members branch  gives opportunities to reminisce and catch up with friends from the past and for those who are newly retired, it can provide a place to find out about pensions and coping with this major life change. I am sure that retired members’ branches will develop to suit those members who wish to be involved.

About Teresa

Teresa Bottomley at TUC Congress

Before she retired, Teresa worked part-time in a primary school where she taught children with special needs.

She joined the Professional Association of Teachers* in 1976, because her mum was a member and she was inspired by its values. During a recruitment drive to set up a network of student representatives, Teresa joined the Student Executive Committee as the representative for her teacher training college. She also became an active member of the local Federation.

She joined Community’s National Executive in 2021, becoming Vice President of the Education and Early Years sector of the union. She stood down from her role in November 2025.

* The Professional Association of Teacher (PAT), changed had its name to Voice in 2008 and then joined Community as the education sector.