These pioneers are now forming a strong community with their new neighbours
When Janet and Ron chose to relocate from Kent to Joules Place, a Retirement Living development in Market Drayton, Shropshire, to be nearer to their family, they didn’t anticipate how positive an impact it would have on their life.
They’d previously retired to a beautiful bungalow close to the sea after working and raising their family in Manchester, but ten years on and having both turned 80, they started to look at their priorities for the future - the key one being closer to their family.
Ron says, “We loved our bungalow by the sea, but when you get to our age, you want a far simpler and easier life. We no longer wanted to travel miles to see our daughter, son, their partners and we wanted to be in our grandchildren’s lives as much as possible, so we set our sights on moving closer.”
Being first in was fun! But building a community is even better
The couple chose a one-bedroom apartment, and the thought of moving into a brand-new development, with all its never-before-used amenities, really excited them.
“We didn’t have to wait long for neighbours to join us - the next day, just down the corridor, two more homeowners moved in. We all slowly got acquainted with one another, and the more we came together, you could really see we were becoming a great little community, helping one another adjust. We’ve really made some great friends here”.
Ron jokes how they’re busier now in their retirement apartment than they ever were in their bungalow in Kent. Ron says: “With so many activities, if we’re not taking part in the coffee mornings, we’re at the games afternoons, and the fish and chip nights. Best of all, there’s a tea and cake afternoon; our favourite! We’re always doing something around the development, not forgetting to mention the lovely visits from our daughter, son and grandchildren, where the McCarthy Stone staff and other homeowners make them feel so welcome.”
Smooth Move made it seamless
The move couldn’t have gone more smoothly, as Ron explains: “We felt like seasoned pros when it comes to moving, having moved from our family home in Manchester to our bungalow in Kent. We thought we knew what to expect and how much energy and attention it would take, but this time it was seamless. We sold our bungalow and moved with McCarthy Stone’s ‘Smooth Move’ package, and we couldn’t fault it.”
“Our social life is the best it’s ever been”
Ron adds, "We had great expectations for Joules Place and the move to Market Drayton, but it is better than we could ever have imagined. For anyone looking for a change, we can’t recommend it enough. The House Manager is great and has such a supportive team behind her. Our social life is the best it’s ever been, and we now see our family so much more. There’s undoubtedly less upkeep around our one-bedroom apartment than our bungalow, which has allowed us more time to explore the local areas, and we are so happy here.
“It’s been so nice to see Joules Place grow from the start, and I’m looking forward to when the whole development is sold because we can imagine the atmosphere to be bigger and even better.”
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Learn more our retirement homes near you, call our friendly team on 0800 201 4811 or contact us online for more information.
