15 November
After a three month hiatus I have now been told that a photoshoot is to be arranged in the very near future and than the full article will be featured 'in the early New Year'. I am still not sure exactly what style this photoshoot will be, and I have yet to see any copy of the interview done way back in August since when I've competed in a Historic Road Rally and participated in two sessions at Silverstone at the i-Zone Driver Performance Centre driving a simulated McLaren GT4 aroiund the simulated Donington Park Race Circuit. And today I type this from the Sharnbrook Hotel near Bedford as I wait to submit myself to the final test - known as the 'Assessment'. - which includes driving an elecric and automatic Vauxhall e-Corsa around the track at Bedford Autodrome and sessions with a media (TV) crew, fitness tests and nutrition advice...should be fun.
Update: 26 November
The photoshoot was rearranged for today, Friday 26 November at Doncaster South Services on the M180 and M18 Motorways as being roughly halfway between my home and that of the photographer, Nelly Naylor, in Sheffield. (www.nellynaylor.com). The date was not too auspicious as the UK was about to be hit by a phenominal low pressure system bringing on storm winds and heavy rain. (Indeed my barometer showed an overnight drop of 30mm.)
However, all seemed fine and I popped a few 'props' into the car, disconnected the battery conditioner and prepared for the drive along the M180 with a minor diversion for petrol along the way. But...not far from home I was aware of some loud bangings coming from the front - and noticed that the bonnet (aka luggage compartment cover) was bouncing merrily in front of me...the catch wasn't securing the bonnet. Considering the weather, the distance along the Motorway and a 'bouncing' bonnet, I took the decision to return home and let the photographer know of the issue so she could turn round for home herself. So now I shall have to try all over again.
Update: 3 December
Yesterday everything fell into place (including a snow fall overnight) and a replacement photgrapher and assistant arrived at my front door after Wednesday's rearrangements regarding photographer and venue. I had decided on a suitable narrow local country road for the photoshoot - which I hoped still had traces of the thawing snow, so once Poppy was out of her garage, we drove to the site and parked in a very muddy entry to a field where John, the photographer, set up his camera and I drove away to give him the chance to shoot some moving images of the car approaching.
Once that was all over it was 'posing' time as I stood in the muddy puddles clad in my rally overalls, pretending I was not freezing in the icy wind which managed to give me a very windswept look as my hair frequently obscured my face, whilst John took a number of posed shots of me beside the car and inside the car as well as a couple of shots of the inside of the car whilst I was sitting inside - at least it was warm inside.
And then it was all over and we both drove off - me home, but John and his assistant were to take the opportunity to have a tour of the Wolds. At least the weather had improved and the sky had turned bluer. And now I wait to see the results of our efforts. I understand that WI Life will be publishing the article in its February edition, so still some time to wait to see how everything turns out - especially as there've been many updates since that first interview way back in August 2021.
I had hoped to be able to add a photo or two of that shoot on my blog; howver, copyright issues have unfortunateluy precluded that hope as I have to wait until after the publication date of the magazine before I can use any of John's photos. And I have not even seen any of the photos, so I have no idea how they came out - I look forward to seeing them myself...
If you would like to be involved and support my Formula Woman journey you can get in touch at rowena-racing@rafiki.me.uk