Summer 2023 Newsletter

AUDLEY INSIDER

Summer Newsletter

Welcome to the Summer edition of the Audley Insider There has been lots happening across your villages this year, including an array of events, Foundation Week, new village openings, and beautiful springtime sproutings in the gardens

NEW COMPETITION

We’d love to share your poems about life in an Audley or Mayfield village. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a poet, share your poem with us and we’ll select one winner to win a meal for four from the new summer menu.

mailto: stories@audleygroup.com

In The Spotlight

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Mayfield Watford

Mayfield Watford retirement village is set in Watford Riverwell, a new urban development a short walk from Watford Town Centre, and with Cassiobury Park and Vicarage Road (home of Watford FC) a short drive The village opened in September with a second block opening in June 2023

Once complete, the site will comprise 255 one and two bedroom apartments.

Mayfield Watford boosts some incredible views across the Hertfordshire skyline accessed via our 3 large, South-facing roof gardens The village also has a large outdoor terrace, perfect for al fresco dining or afternoon tea

Owner talks, sports activities and functions are all hosted either in the bistro or in the village hall, with capacity to seat 100 people for functions

The village offers a diverse and welcoming community which has come together to enjoy monthly round-the-world dinners, Bridge and Rummikub games. The Village has partnered with local groups to ensure Mayfield Watford integrates into the community, and offers local people the chance to experience the M Bar & Kitchen and Mayfield Club

The Mayfield Club hosts 3 classes per day to align with the promotion of health and wellbeing. The gym and pool are well used with owners interacting and supporting each other to remain fit and healthy

Some fabulous pictures from Audley Villages

The Anniversary of the Windrush Generation

Ms Linda Haye, OBE DL JP OBE (Hon) Fellow Brunel University

King Charles Initiatives

To mark the 75th Anniversary, King Charles has commissioned 10 new painted portraits of the Anniversary of the Windrush Generation arrival of British Citizens to the UK and is supporting this project in recognition of their contributions.

The subject of the new 10 painted portraits has been chosen from across the UK. To ensure a broad balance of persons and having worked in consultation with Government and the Windrush Commemoration on the project. I was fortunate to be one of the ten chosen based on my many years contribution to the UK and across continents The BBC has been commissioned to make a documentary on each person’s life journey

The event will be held at Buckingham Palace together with the documentary film hosted by the King and Queen consort. The programme schedule is not yet known

I am allowed up to 5 guests, including my family and friends I was suggested I should take, as one of the guests, an owner from Audley Chalfont Dene I am pleased to say Mrs Anne Walford will be joining me. According to me, Mrs Anne Walford has been at the forefront of working for the good of the village and also (to recognise) the community spirit and support I have benefitted from the many owners.

Surviving the holocaust

Mr Fieldsend at Mayfield Watford, shares his story

In this moving story, Mr Fieldsend shared with us memories of his early childhood, when things changed and his survival story.

Family friends turned their backs on them as the Nazi presence increased The school allowed for the Jewish children to be taunted and bullied, it being written into their policy that it was encouraged to be unkind towards the Jewish students

His family, pictured above, selflessly sent him away to Britain for safety, where he remained with his new foster family until he married in 1961

He sadly found out that his parents had been deported in 1943 to Poland, where they likely met their fate, alongside his muchloved grandparents.

Mr Fieldsend has chosen to share his story with many people over the years and continues to do so now He had a Zoom session with a local school the following day.

At 91 years old he is an absolute inspiration to us all, and a reminder that the horrors endured by Jewish families are still very much within living memory.

Thank you Mr Fieldsend for sharing these very personal memories with us.

Sports Day, 70 years apart

Mr Alder enjoyed the charity sports day at Mayfield Watford recently and kindly shared this fantastic photo of himself running an egg and spoon race in the 1950s

What an achievement!

A history of… ST ELPHIN’S PARK

Before becoming a retirement village, the main building at St Elphin’s Park, St Elphin’s House, served as a private residence. It later became an exclusive spa in the 19th century and converted into a girls' boarding school in 1904 - St Elphin’s Girls School

The school's story began when a visionary educator named Miss Margaret Firth recognised the need for quality education for girls. Inspired by the legendary St Elphin, a 7thcentury Christian missionary

who embodied resilience and dedication, Miss Firth named her school after the Saint, hoping to instill those same virtues in her students

The imposing Victorian building, with its red-brick façade and soaring spires, became a symbol of academic excellence

One of the first publications about the school is The Story of St Elphin's School 18441944 by Margaret L . Flood , Head Mistress of the school from 1910-1933.

Forward-thinking your fitness

By Kevin Daly

The importance of setting goals and organising your correct weekly exercise routine is extremely important in maintaining structure and balance to the activity you do

It will also enable you to achieve goals quicker and improve motivation, thus breeding confidence not only in what you do in a fitness sense but in your well-being All things I am sure you have heard before

There is another angle to consider - Thinking of your body as a whole package You may be very used to the structured plan you follow and very much enjoy it This of course is fine, as there is nothing wrong with doing the things you enjoy

There is one question I would like to ask.

When was the last time you reviewed your exercise?

Setting continual reviews with your exercise professional to keep those things you enjoy moving forward can be really rewarding.

Forward-thinking your fitness with regular reviews can open a wider range of activities and improve how you enjoy your leisure time. There may be elements of fitness that you may not have considered that can improve your body thus beginning to consider the whole package of fitness, well-being, motivation, and social interaction.

What could I do to make my body fitter and stronger?

…Read more online

The first Chatty Bench by The Audley Foundation

Now in situ at Audley Chalfont Dene

The first Chatty Bench has been installed at St Peter’s Garden, with funds raised by the magnificent owners at Audley Chalfont Dene.

The Audley Group launched their new Foundation charity with the stated aim of "making a lasting difference to the lives of older people" who live near Audley retirement villages. It quickly became accepted that one of the major problems facing local residents was that of loneliness, so in order to tackle this, the very first project funded by The Audley Foundation was the provision of seating close to villages where

local people can chat and perhaps form friendships to ease their loneliness. We call this seating ‘Chatty Benches’.

In school playgrounds across the country you will find seats, usually called friendship seats, where any pupil who needs comfort, a chat or simply reassurance can sit; the child will soon be joined by someone able to offer support and help

Our Chatty Benches aim to extend this type of seating to the more mature, and our aim was to install a bench near to every Audley village

The very first Chatty Bench was installed last month, in the Chalfont Saint Peter Memorial Garden, situated close to the Audley retirement village of Chalfont Dene The bench bears the logo of The Audley Foundation, together with the engraved words "making a lasting difference to the lives of older people“ and the written invitation to passers-by to "rest a while for conversation and good company"

We have already received enthusiastic feedback from locals and recognition of the charity we serve We, as property owners in Chalfont Dene village, are proud to be the first to lead this project and we know that other villages have taken to the challenge to install their own benches in their own localities

This is just a small start, but one that has already made a difference to the recognition of The Foundation locally; we are encouraged to continue our fundraising efforts

AN UPDATE ON FUNDRAISING

Village teams and owners raised an outstanding £12,990

Zoltan’s Marathon raised £1,320

Blenheim 7k run raised £2,995 (special mention to Jo Meakin for some outstanding fundraising!)

Foundation Week raised £8,075.58

1,458 miles were cycled in the Foundation Week Cycle, with St Elphin’s Park cycling a massive 432.5 of those miles.

A huge thank you to owners and team members for your contributions and fundraising efforts

Can you spot the 9 differences in the top photo?

ANSWERS - From left to right:

1. Missing panel, 2. Dark window pane, 3. Spiral tree, 4. Purple Audley sign, 5. Blue flowers in box, 6. Conifer tree, 7. Brighter green grass, 8. Missing bench, 9 Missing tree

Intervillage Quiz Results

A huge well done to Chalfont Ladies!

Chalfont Dene seems to be holding on to the win, continuing their reign from last year.

Who will be crowned champion next?

The next Intervillage Quiz starts 13th September

Summer fairs coming up

CHECK ONLINE FOR UPDATES

July

3 rd – 16 th

Wimbledon

4 th – 9 th Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

7 th – 9 th Formula 1 Grand Prix, Silverstone

16 th – 23 rd The Open Championship St Andrews

August 1 st – 5 th

Glorious Goodwood

4 th – 26 th The Royal Edinburg Military Tattoo

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

The next Intervillage Quiz…

September 13 th

October 11 th

November 8 th

December 6 th

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Final

Enjoy your summer