Perhaps this story feels familiar
"I'm always the strong one...
But I don't want to have to be strong every moment"
A portrait experience for women who’ve spent so long being strong for everyone else, they’re ready to let another side of themselves be seen.
Somewhere along the way...
You became the one everyone could rely on.
The one who coped. Who kept things moving. Who found a way through when things were difficult.
People came to depend on your strength — and perhaps, somewhere along the way, you began to depend on it too.
You became good at carrying things. At getting on with it. At being the person who said, “I’m fine.”
And you are strong.
But being strong doesn’t mean you have to be strong every moment.
Perhaps now you’d like an opportunity to put some of that down. To be looked after for a change. To see yourself not only as the woman who copes, carries and keeps going — but as everything else you are too.
Perhaps strength isn’t something you have to prove anymore.
There's more to you than being strong.
You haven't become strong by accident.
Life has asked things of you. You've adapted, carried on, found your way through and discovered just how capable you can be.
And there is something wonderful in that.
But strength is only one part of you.
There's also softness. Curiosity. Playfulness. Sensuality. Vulnerability. The part of you that doesn't have the answers. The part that would quite like somebody else to take care of things for a while.
None of those things make you less strong.
Perhaps renewal isn't about becoming somebody different.
It's about giving yourself permission to put down the armour for a while — and allowing all those other parts of you to be seen too.
You can be strong without always having to show strength.
This isn't really about having your photograph taken.
Of course, we'll create beautiful portraits of you.
But that's not where Renewal begins.
It begins with allowing yourself, for a little while,
not to be the one taking care of everything.
To step away from everyday life.
To let somebody else take the lead.
To be looked after for a change.
To laugh, talk, relax — and perhaps discover what happens
when you don't have to hold everything together.
You don't need to arrive feeling confident.
You don't need to know how to pose.
You don't need to have everything figured out.
You just need to come as you are.
We'll take care of everything else.
Because the photographs aren't really the starting point of Renewal.
They're what remains afterwards — a reminder that the strong
woman everyone relies on has other sides to her too.
And they're every bit as much a part of who she is.
What does Renewal actually feel like?
Probably much more relaxed than you're imagining.
When you arrive at Cherish, the kettle will be on. You'll meet Louise & Paul, settle in with a cup of tea or coffee and simply have a chat.
There's no rush to get in front of a camera.
No expectation that you'll know what to do.
And absolutely no test of whether you're "photogenic".
We'll already have spent time getting to know you before your experience, so this isn't a room full of strangers trying to make you smile.
It's your day.
There'll be conversation. Music. Laughter. Probably more tea.
And perhaps something you're not quite so used to:
you don't have to be in charge of any of it.
Louise & Paul will gently guide you throughout. We'll show you where to stand, help you with what to do and take care of the details.
All you need to do is allow yourself to enjoy it.
And somewhere amongst the talking, laughing and photographs, something rather lovely can happen.
You stop thinking about being the strong one.
For a little while, you're simply you.
Your Renewal will be yours.
And that's exactly how it should be.
Renewal isn't about recreating somebody else's experience.
It's about giving you the opportunity to stop carrying things for a while and allowing whatever side of you wants to emerge to do exactly that.
Perhaps that's confidence.
Perhaps it's softness.
Perhaps it's playfulness.
Perhaps it's something you weren't expecting at all.
There's no version of you that we're trying to create.
We're simply giving you the opportunity to see what happens when you don't have to be the strong one for a while.
And when you do, we'll create something that allows you to take that feeling home with you.
And then you get to see yourself differently.
Later that same day, we'll sit down together and see your portraits for the first time. There's no expectation that you'll love every photograph.
You don't need to.
We're simply looking for the ones that make you stop.
The ones that feel like you.
Perhaps you'll see the strength you already know is there.
But perhaps you'll notice something else too.
A softness you don't often show.
A confidence that feels different when you aren't having to prove anything.
A playfulness you'd almost forgotten was there.
Or perhaps one portrait will simply make you smile because, for once, you're looking at yourself without thinking about what anybody needs from you.
“That's me too.”
Once we've found your favourites, we'll help you decide how you'd like to enjoy and live with them in your home.
That might be one beautiful portrait you see every morning.
A collection displayed together.
Or a Treasure Box of favourite photographs you can return to whenever you choose.
Together, we'll build a Portrait Collection that's right for you and your home.
Because the experience may last a day.
But the reminder that you are more than the strong one shouldn't have to.
FAQ
What if I don't feel confident enough to do this?
Then you're in very good company.
You don't need to arrive at Cherish feeling confident. In fact, many of the women we meet tell us confidence is one of the very reasons they've come.
Rediscovery isn't a reward for already feeling good about yourself.
It's an opportunity to give yourself the time and space to begin seeing yourself differently.
What if I hate having my photograph taken?
We hear this one a lot.
Often, what someone really means is: “I don't like photographs of myself.”
And we understand the difference. You won't be expected to suddenly become comfortable in front of a camera.
Paul will guide you gently throughout, and before long we hope you'll be far too busy talking, laughing and enjoying yourself to worry quite so much about the photographs.
But I have absolutely no idea how to pose.
Perfect.
Because you don't need to.
Knowing how to stand, where to look or what to do with your hands is our responsibility — not yours.
There are no posing lessons to learn and nothing to practise before you arrive.
Just come as you are.
Am I too old for something like this?
No.
And Rediscovery certainly isn't about trying to look twenty years younger.
The years you've lived are part of your story.
The laughter, experiences, relationships, challenges and achievements that brought you here are part of the woman we're celebrating.
We're interested in who you are now.
What if doing something entirely for myself feels a little self-indulgent?
It might.
Especially if you've spent years being the person who instinctively puts everybody else first.
But perhaps that's precisely why it matters.
Making some space for yourself doesn't diminish everything you've given to the people you love.
It simply means remembering that you're one of the people worth looking after too.
What if I don't like the photographs?
You won't be asked to choose anything until you've seen your portraits.
Later on the same day, we'll look through them together and find the ones that genuinely mean something to you.
There is no expectation that you should love every photograph — and certainly no pressure to choose portraits simply because we've created them.
We're looking for the ones that make you feel something.
The ones that make you think:
“Yes. That's me.”
If this feels like your story...
Perhaps something you've read here has felt rather familiar.
Perhaps you've been thinking for a while that it's time to do something for yourself — but haven't quite known what that something should be.
You don't need to decide today whether Rediscovery is right for you.
Let's simply have a conversation.
Your Welcome Conversation is a relaxed chat with Louise. It's an opportunity for her to hear a little about you, understand what has brought you here and answer any questions you might have.
There's no pressure and no expectation.
Just a chance for us to get to know each other and for you to decide whether this feels like the right time.
Because after years of making time for everyone else, perhaps it's time to make a little time for you.