Hobbies to the rescue!
Residents are keeping spirits up by enjoying new and unusual pastimes
RETIREMENT villages have been anything but retiring since coronavirus took hold. Research carried out by Audley Villages at the end of last year found that three in ten of their residents had taken up a new fitness or wellness activity since the start of the pandemic.
But your new pursuit doesn’t have to be related to exercise, it could be one of a host of activities on offer in retirement villages.
BUSY AS BEES
At Audley Chalfont dene in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, a club called the lavender ladies has been running since 2015. Its three members — Audrey Marland, 91, Jacki Crittenden, 71, and Verena Closs, 71 — have raised more than £1,000 for the thames Valley Adventure Playground in taplow.
‘We started a craft club after the village first opened, but a few of us don’t pride ourselves on our knitting or crocheting skills, so we had a think about what else we could do,’ says Verena. ‘through the summer months, the village grounds are filled with beautiful lavender plants. Instead of letting it all go to waste, we picked the lavender, dried it in our own homes and made lavender pouches.
‘We also make cards, bookmarks and beeswax candles.’
two and three- bedroom apartments and three-bedroom cottages are priced from £450,000 to £ 999,950 ( audleyvillages.co.uk).
RAILWAY HEAVEN
A ‘00’ GAUGE model railway has been created at Castle View retirement village in Windsor.
‘Many of our property owners have applied their creative skills by building this fantastic model railway, and we are extremely grateful to Hornby, which has contributed historic steam trains such as the Flying Scotsman and Mallard, as well as more modern locos,’ says Robin Hughes, Castle View’s chief executive.
In all, 20 different locomotives make up six passenger trains and five freight trains, which now chug around a 250-metre track set up in the activity room. One to three-bedroom apartments are for sale at the village, priced from £ 375,000 to £ 975,000 ( castleviewwindsor.co.uk).
THE WRITE STUFF
TWO years ago, Wadswick Green’s monthly magazine was taken over by the residents and now life On the Green’s editorial team is made up of six residents and one staff member.
the team used to meet a couple of times a month, but the magazine was suspended during the summer and autumn last year. However, they are aiming to produce a new issue by March. One to three-bedroom apartments are priced from £229,950 to £765,000 (rangefordvillages.co.uk).
KEEPING ACTIVE
SALLY WICKSTEED, 81, has lived at Audley ellerslie in Malvern for three years.
‘Bay erol, the village’s personal trainer, is always finding new ways to make our sessions different. We’ve been playing table tennis in the private dining room while it hasn’t been used!’
One and two-bedroom apartments are priced from £225,000 to £899,950 ( audleyvillages.co.uk).
A BRUSH WITH ART
At MCCARTHY & Stone’s Magpie Court retirement development in Hanham, near Bristol, dr Marylane Barfield, who is 83 and has been a professional artist since 1960, started painting portraits of her fellow residents.
‘I first started the project to keep me occupied, while also continuing doing something I love. I wanted to capture the energy and character of the community around me. We’re a group of lively people, and I wanted to get that message across in my work,’ she says.
Now 18 paintings are on display at Magpie Court, so everyone can enjoy them. Prices at the development start from £272,000 for a one- bedroom apartment and £330,000 for a two-bedroom apartment ( mccarthy andstone.co.uk).