A welcoming community, active social life and no worries about maintenance. For Jim and Brenda Lacey, moving to Churchill Retirement Living’s Simmonds Lodge development in Drayton ticked all the boxes.
The couple moved from their home in nearby Horndean earlier this year where they had lived for 22 years. Jim explains: “We were living in a three-bedroom house with a large garden that was getting too much for us to maintain. We were attracted to the idea of retirement living because we wanted somewhere that was modern, safe and secure with a great social side too. We’d already thought about making the move when I began suffering from heart problems 18 months ago. I was in and out of hospital for treatment, which really finalised the decision for us – we needed to downsize.
“We looked at several of Churchill’s lodges on the south coast but decided that Drayton was the right place for us. We knew the area very well and it is in a really nice part of Portsmouth. We are a very independent couple but having the added security and benefits of having an on-site Lodge Manager, especially for future peace of mind as we get older, is great. We thoroughly enjoy having the company of the other Owners too and have quickly made new friends.”
Since moving to Simmonds Lodge, Jim, aged 68, and Brenda, 67, have settled in well and have now found time to enjoy some old hobbies. “Because of my previous health issues, I have to make sure I keep myself fit and active,” said Jim. “I make great use of the on-site Fitness Suite we have at Simmonds Lodge and make sure I use the treadmill for at least half an hour every day. Brenda and I have also started ballroom dancing again, which we enjoyed doing for more than 25 years. I had to give it up for a short time but we contacted a local dance school recently and have started dancing once again - we love it!”
Jim and Brenda have also been making the most of the freedom and stress-free lifestyle that retirement living offers by booking a few holidays abroad, including travelling to Melbourne in Australia to visit their daughter and two grandchildren.
Brenda said: “Our son lives close by but we haven’t seen our daughter in nearly two years so it’s nice knowing we can lock up and leave, and everything will be safe and sound when we return. Moving to Simmonds Lodge was definitely the right move for us and we would recommend Churchill to everyone.
“The Lodge Manager and sales team have been extremely helpful throughout, and the site manager happily assisted us with a few odd jobs that needed doing when we moved in. We also used the Selling Made Easy Service, which took away all the stress of selling our old property. We also saw it as a nice opportunity to start afresh, so we ended up selling the majority of our furniture before we downsized – something I’d definitely recommend doing in advance.”
Simmonds Lodge is a collection of 52 one and two bedroom privately owned apartments offering quality retirement accommodation and safe, independent living. Located on Havant Road in the suburb of Drayton, a small residential area in the city of Portsmouth, it has all amenities right on your doorstep including various shops, supermarket, dentist, doctor’s surgery and a golf club.
The development has been specially designed with the over 60s in mind, with features such as a video-entry system, lift to all floors, a 24 hour care and support system and a Lodge Manager for complete peace of mind. Communal facilities include an Owners’ Lounge which owners use for socialising and events, communal landscaped gardens, Guest Suite, a Wellbeing Suite and a Fitness Suite. It also has its own on-site coffee bar where owners can enjoy a drink and mingle with their neighbours.
Properties at Simmonds Lodge are available from £239,950, with over 50% of the apartments already reserved. The Show Complex is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For more information, please call 02392 808 565 or click here.