Rightsizing for retirement: Community champion  chooses a new  apartment to make home

Downsizing from their four-bedroom home in Mapperley was not an easy decision for Peggy and Fred. “It was a huge decision for us both,” Peggy told us. “We loved our large house and had so much space but we knew it was time to make things a little easier on ourselves.” 

“Living so close to Burton Joyce, we saw Wisteria Place being built so decided to go and have a look round. With the help of McCarthy and Stone’s Smooth Move Service, we had a removals team at our disposal and a handyman in the first month we moved in, so we soon got sorted and had everything in its place. After the initial period of adjustment, it didn’t take long to realise we’d landed on our feet, and we haven’t looked back since.”

A new social circle

Peggy quickly took to her new way of easy living and immediately got involved in putting on social occasions for her neighbours to come together. “Living here is so fantastic because we are completely independent with the added bonus of getting together with other homeowners as and when we want to. I couldn’t help but get stuck into planning events – that’s just me! We have regular coffee mornings, fish and chip nights, movie nights and it’s lovely because people know they can come along and have a natter and a catch-up if they want but there’s absolutely no obligation.”

Prime location

Living so close to the local amenities and rail links of Burton Joyce, allows both Peggy and Fred to enjoy an active retirement. “I can walk into the centre of the village in about 10 minutes, which is great,” says Peggy. “Whether it’s going to get my hair done and a bit of a pamper, meeting friends for a leisurely coffee or a drink, or just a potter about with my husband Fred with no real agenda. That’s the great thing about living here – we’re not on a timeline, we just wake up and decide for ourselves what we fancy doing that day.”

Peace of mind built in

Jetsetters, Peggy and Fred enjoy trips abroad to see relatives and enjoy some time in the sun. “What we really loved about going on holiday this time now we live at Wisteria Place is that didn’t have to worry about our apartment – we knew it was being taken care of and security was not a concern at all,” Peggy explained.

“But more than that, we came back to a handful of notes under our front door from our neighbours welcoming us back and telling us how much they’d missed us. That’s value in itself – you just don’t get that anywhere else. People here are so caring.” 

To find a new retirement home near you, take a look at the Mccarthy and Stone website.