Don’t be shy about retiring
MOVING to a retirement village or apartment offers the chance to make friends in a ready-made community but it doesn’t mean residents have to cut themselves off from other locals. In fact some retirement specialists go out of their way to encourage a connection with the wider community.
For instance, managers at Churchill Retirement Living developments, which have communal lounges and gardens, often organise events to encourage interaction with non-residents.
At Ash Lodge in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, children from nearby Ashley Primary School visited to show residents pop-up books about rainforests that they made in class – and read aloud from them.
“The children were so excited to show the owners their handmade books,” says class teacher Gill Hood, “and it was lovely to hear them sharing their stories, too.”
Regional marketing manager Anne Scherrer adds: “It’s great for the owners to get involved with visits like this. We are always keen to arrange an assortment of events in the owners’ lounge at the Lodge.”
A similar event at Churchill’s Stokes Lodge in Camberley, Surrey, had children from The Grove Primary School’s choir singing for residents then reading aloud to them.
Living in a retirement development has not stopped McCarthy & Stone homeowner Roland Rudderham from getting involved with the local community under his own steam.
The 66-year-old is a volunteer for The National Coastwatch Institution charity and moved to McCarthy & Stone’s San Lorenzo Court in St Ives, Cornwall, in 2014.
“I had been living in Hampshire in a three-bedroom home by myself for some years but the expense and the upkeep was getting too much for me,” he says.
“So I decided it was time to downsize to something more manageable – to escape the rat race and move to be by the sea.
“I saw an advert for the NCI which really caught my eye. As I had spent most of my life working in the marine industry the position really appealed to me and before I knew it I was a trainee watchkeeper.”
Roland spends four hours a week volunteering for the NCI, which involves watching out for any type of boat along the coast from the St Ives watch tower. He also keeps an eye out for swimmers in difficulty.
“When I retired I could have lounged about and put my feet up but that’s just not me,” says Roland, who also volunteers as a steward for the St Ives Festival.
“I wanted to stay active and have a sense of purpose where I could use all the skills I have acquired during my years,” he adds.
“It makes no sense when we get to a certain age to just stop doing all the things we’ve always done, especially when they could benefit other people.”
All the apartments at Roland’s San Lorenzo Court are now sold but McCarthy & Stone developments nearby include Trelawny House in Falmouth, with two-bedroom apartments from £321,950, and Lys Lander in Truro, where there is one two-bedroom flat left for £279,950 (0800 201 4811; mccarthyand stone.co.uk).
Churchill Retirement Living also has a new development in Truro, Tregolls Lodge.
One-bedroom apartments there are for sale from £197,950 and two-bedroom flats are available from £276,950 (01872 464278; churchill retirement.co.uk).