Winners book a Superlife

'SUPERLIFE for me would be endless chip butties, variegated sex, prolific creativity, frequent pools wins and free private medicare forever.' That was the entry in our Superlife competition from Eric Newman, of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire (who added: 'God knows, it's not much for a pensioner to ask.')

Eric's prize, along with the other 11 winners, was to join Anne Naylor, author of Superlife and Superlove, at the Hyatt Carlton Tower hotel in London on Thursday for a seminar based on her personal growth programme and take part in fascinating, fun exercises from her books, writes David Marsh.

In the competition, which attracted some 800 entries, readers had to tell us what a Superlife meant to them in no more than 20 words. Mick Morris, from Waterlooville in Hampshire, the only other male winner, needed just three: 'Health and happiness.'

Superlife is about making the most of life, particularly at a period of change, such as retirement, so it is not surprising that many entrants were at or approaching that stage. Charmian Astbury, of Charlbury, Oxfordshire, is looking forward to 'three fulfilled and successful decades'. Nancy Tuft, of Bromley, Kent, wrote: 'Superlife to me, at 60, means focusing on an interesting grand finale rather than sitting out an uninspired third act.'

Other winners were: Ros Beck, of Cardiff; Jean Binnie, Leeds; Jane George, Lincoln; Kathryn Holt, St Albans; Jinny Hutchison, Edinburgh; Louise Prince, West Norwood, London; Mabel Sculthorp (aged 80), Sidmouth, Devon; and Polly Southall, Stagsden, Bedfordshire.

Special mentions go to Carol Charmbury, Susan Seddon, Susan Shannon, Susan Taylor, Lynne Yeates, and Ainslie Waller.

Yes, most entrants were female; the verdict of our winning women on Thursday was: get in touch with your feelings, chaps]

Finally, thanks to Elspeth Edwards, of Twickenham, Middlesex, for this: 'A haiku for Anne Naylor: A Superlife would/begin for me, by growing/old disgracefully'; and Cheryl Taylor, of St Albans, who wrote: 'A Superlife would be having the courage to say 'no' occasionally, thereby allowing me the time to achieve my ambitions.' She added: 'By the way, I'm pregnant again. I've just got to learn to say no]'

(Photograph omitted)