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April 2019
News
Vast £56m retirement complex officially opened
A
vast, multi-million pound retirement complex has officially opened in Stoke Gifford. Located off Coldharbour Lane, opposite the University of the West of England (UWE), the Stoke Gifford Retirement Village offers those over the age of 55 a new approach to retirement living. Made up of 92 onebedroom and 169 two-bedroom fully accessible, self-contained flats, The Village is set across 5.5 acres of land and includes a host of on-site facilities. The Stoke Gifford Retirement Village, which has been under construction for the last 2.5 years, opens as part of a £56m development programme between retirement charity The ExtraCare Charitable Trust, South Gloucestershire Council, who provided £1.9m, and Bristol City Council, who provided £2.8m. This was alongside a contribution of £2.4m from
Homes England through the Department of Health and Social Care’s ‘Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund’. The ExtraCare Charitable Trust, established in 1988, operates a number of retirement villages and smaller housing developments around the Midlands and further south. Their mission is to “create sustainable communities that provide homes older people want, lifestyles they can enjoy and care if it’s needed”. Retirement villages have been designed as an alternative to the traditional care home. The idea is to enable older people to enjoy healthy, active, and independent lifestyles in their later years. However, should care and/or dementia support be needed, it can be assessed and provided in the comfort and privacy of a resident’s own village home. This means that couples can remain
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External view from one end of the complex, which houses 261 apartments
together even when one partner becomes frail. The villages aim to foster an environment of supported independence where residents can take advantage of the social and leisure opportunities provided by the wide range of facilities available. These include a bar & bistro, a village hall, a library & IT suite, a hair & beauty salon, a gym and a shop; all of which are also open to the wider public. There are also numerous activities that take place within the Stoke Gifford village, many of which are for the wider community as well as the village residents. For example, several inter-generational groups are organised throughout the week, such as the Acorn & Oaks Playgroup which takes place on a Wednesday morning between 10.00am and 12.00pm and the Wise Owls after school club who
come from a local primary school to visit the library and read with some of the residents. If you would like to find out more about the different activities taking place at the village, please phone 0117 332 5440. The official opening of the Stoke Gifford Retirement Village took place on Thursday 14th March 2019 with the ribbon being cut by residents Brian and Sheila Lomas, Cllr Ben Stokes (South Gloucestershire Council, Cabinet member for adult care), Cllr Helen Holland (Bristol City Council, Cabinet member for adult social care), Andrew Strong (village manager) and Mick Laverty, chief executive of the ExtraCare Charitable Trust. During the official opening, Cllr Stokes said: “It’s fantastic to see this new ExtraCare village officially open. We want to make sure that our growing number of older residents continue to
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The light and spacious reception and communal area within the complex
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