When Hannah was 16, she loved going to her local under-18s nightclub to dance to alternative music. “In the summer of 1999, I was getting ready to start my BTec in media studies. I was living with my parents in Ipswich, working part-time and having lots of fun going out,” she says.
One night, she spotted Izzy at the club and mistook her for someone she knew. “I approached her and asked if she knew my brother,” she remembers. She said no, but they got chatting and realised they were both enrolled on the same college course. “I was living with my mum and working for a bakery,” says Izzy. “We didn’t have mobile phones at the time, so we never swapped numbers.”
They didn’t see each other again until the first day of college. “I walked in and thought: ‘Oh, it’s the girl from the club’,” says Hannah. “We buddied up together in class from that day.” She was impressed by Izzy’s style and outgoing nature. “She had short, dark red hair and her eyebrow pierced, which I thought was really cool. She was very bubbly and I was a bit quieter.”
Izzy says they hit it off “straight away” and that the friendship felt effortless. “It was so easy to bond. We both loved a lot of the same music, like Pearl Jam, Metallica and Rage Against the Machine, as well as the nu-metal scene.”
They stayed best friends after graduating in 2001, and Hannah began working at Waterstones. “I suggested Izzy get a job there too and we loved working together.” After five years, Hannah moved into an office reception job and now works in HR, while Izzy has since retrained as a dental nurse.
They have continued to be there for each other through life’s ups and downs. “I got married in 2015 and Hannah was my chief bridesmaid,” says Izzy. “My husband is now very unwell with cancer and I’ve temporarily stopped working to care for him. After he had treatment for a couple of years, I realised that I needed to take a step back from work and Hannah helped me feel comfortable in making that decision.”
After living near each other in Ipswich for most of their lives, Hannah moved to Felixstowe in 2019. “I got married quickly but once it settled we realised we were too different and decided to get divorced. I told Izzy everything and she helped me through. I moved away to be close to the sea. Now I’ve met a new partner and bought a house here.”
Hannah also has a great relationship with Izzy’s little girl. “She is autistic, which comes with challenges, but Hannah loves her for who she is and is always there if I need to talk about anything. We text each other every day.”
Due to the distance, and Izzy’s caring responsibilities, they see each other less often than they used to, but remain as close as ever. “We write down things that we want to share and then tell each other everything when we meet up,” laughs Hannah. As well as visits to the seaside, they plan regular days out together. “We take trips to London and love historical tours and houses,” says Hannah. “We’re both quite geeky.”
They also love visiting vintage fairs across the country and learning new things. “We did an Italian course before a holiday to Italy, and we did a Swedish massage course together,” says Izzy.
Hannah loves the support she gets from her friend. “I was nervous about moving, but she gave me the confidence to do it. I always take her advice and think: ‘What would Izzy do?’”
Izzy, meanwhile, admire’s Hannah’s loyalty. “She’s so honest and trustworthy. I tell her things I’ll never tell anyone else,” she says. “We have so much fun and what we have is so special.”
“She’s my soulmate,” Hannah concludes. “People always think that’s just for romantic relationships – but we’re proof that it isn’t.”