LONG LIVE WHITELEY!
Inside the village where 11 people have reached 100 and it’s ‘official’: being there puts years on your life
WITH its charming cluster of cottages, pub and church Whiteley looks every inch the quintessential English village. Yet on closer inspection there’s one very big difference – every one of the 500 residents is a pensioner and 11 are centenarians.
The community, deep in the leafy Surrey stockbroker belt, was founded from a bequest by philanthropist William Whiteley a century ago. Back in 1917 it was stipulated that only “aged poor persons” could live in the attractive red-brick almshouses. A pretty green and a shop were also provided and from the start retirees were encouraged to mingle and stay active.
Today Whiteley Village still adheres to the same principles and it’s a unique social experiment that’s working. Research that is to be published this week shows that people in Whiteley live up to five years longer than the national average.
Pop along to any of the 25 clubs and societies that are flourishing in the village and you will find 80 and 90-somethings joining in activities ranging from bowling and quiz nights to mahjong and line dancing.
It seems that the secret of the residents’ longevity is their happiness. “People here don’t feel lonely,” says Chandra McGowan, chief executive of the charitable trust that runs Whiteley Village. “They are engaged with other residents, they feel safe and they also have a great sense of pride in the village.”
Whiteley has its own security guard and there hasn’t been a burglary in recent memory. However this is not the British version of those gated retirement complexes in America where residents live in a bubble.
VISITORS are free to come and go and Chandra insists: “Residents are not at all cut off from real life. It’s a proper village and the residents organise their own activities. Although everyone is of pension age there is a huge variety of ages spanning 40 years.”
Whiteley, near Walton-on Thames, is a stone’s throw from some of the most expensive properties in Britain, including the exclusive St George’s Hill estate. The most lavish homes there can fetch more than £10million and celebrities and businessmen hide away behind high walls and security cameras.
In contrast you don’t need to be rich or famous to live in one of the 262 cottages in Whiteley village. In fact, quite the opposite. “Many of the people here have fallen on hard times,” says Chandra. “They might have gone through a divorce, become bankrupt or been in service and lost their home. That’s what makes Whiteley so unique.” It is said that many of Whiteley’s residents arrive with little more than a few possessions in a suitcase. Their only income is their state pension.
The founding father, William Whiteley, was also responsible for Whiteley’s store in Bayswater, which is said to be Britain’s first department store. His slogan was “everything from a pin to an elephant”. In 1907 he was shot dead by a man claiming to be his illegitimate son and left £1million for the creation of a retirement village. The first resident, Eliza Palmer, was given her keys in 1917. Today funding comes partly from the state through housing benefit paid to residents. Other cash is raised from hiring out playing fields and facilities, including the indoor pool, in the village.
Whiteley is run by a board of trustees but there’s a vibrant residents’ committee which always has a say in matters. Chandra adds: “When we admit residents we ask: ‘What are you good at? What can you contribute?’ There are always plenty of volunteers.” The nation is struggling to cope with an ageing population, while it’s predicted that millions of pensioners will spend their twilight years in poverty because they haven’t been able to save enough for retirement. In the UK the population over 65 is projected to increase by more than 40 per cent by 2035 to more than 16 million.
So it’s claimed that Whiteley, with its contented ranks of elderly people with limited means, should become a model for other retirement villages. The village mission statement is “our vision is to be one of the best places to age in Britain” and Prince Charles has described Whiteley as “a national treasure”.
THE new longevity research looked at more than 2,500 medical records from the village’s 100year history and discovered that the benefits were more pronounced for female residents.
Les Mayhew, who led the study at Cass Business School in London, says: “The undoubted lesson of Whiteley is that it is possible to create a socially stimulating and safe environment in which older people can enjoy a longer retirement in peace and comfort.”
Alan Burrows, 77, who has lived in Whiteley for 12 years, says: “The main appeal for me is being independent but also part of a community with a wonderful atmosphere. I hope to spend the rest of my life here.”
The former railways planning manager, who enjoys swimming and a round of golf on the village’s miniature pitch and putt course, adds: “We have everything here and we all look out for one another. I feel happy and that definitely has a positive impact on my health.
“It’s like being in Paradise, it really is that good.” It seems that Shangri-la does exist after all – and it’s in Surrey.