By adminApril 8, 2020December 8th, 2020No Comments
In recent years, more and more people have been making the switch from conventional houses to residential park homes; trading high-maintenance properties on busy estates for a more peaceful, friendly and convenient life in a retirement community. We spoke to residents at Riverside Meadow's neighbouring park, Newport Park, to find out more about the benefits of the park home lifestyle and what they love most about living in a Wilson Leisure community…
Having a convenient location is crucial when it comes to choosing your retirement property, as our resident Blanche Kitchen tells us, "I knew there would come a day when I couldn't drive anymore and I needed to be somewhere with good amenities and bus routes." Wilson Leisure's sister parks Riverside Meadow and Newport Park are situated in a prime location, between the charming town of Topsham and just ten minutes from Exeter. Neighbour Mary Swann tells us that the park's locality is perfect for enjoying the best of Devon: "I also love going down to Dawlish for a day out, shopping in Newton Abbot or going for a walk on Exmouth seafront."
The residents also love their immediate park surroundings, as Mary Swann adds, "the grounds are well maintained, I've not been to another park which is as well kept as this one." Along with its sister park, Riverside Meadow also offers stunning views of the river and surrounding area, as summed up by residents Beryl and Rob Brooks: "We look out over our lounge window and can see all the way out to Topsham over the estuary. Having lived in a terraced house with no view, I'd never look back."
According to national studies, over 1 million older people in the UK say they feel lonely. One of the great advantages of joining a retirement community is that you can live amongst friendly and like-minded people. Resident June Harry says: "Everyone is very friendly here. It's given me a social life, which is really important when you get older."
At Wilson Leisure, we know it's also important to find that balance between community and privacy. Our Newport Park residents Beryl and Rob Brooks describe how living in one of our communities offers them the best of both worlds: "Living here feels very private but the community is fantastic." Neighbour Margaret Tregale agrees, explaining to us that "you can have your own space if you want it but there's always someone there to talk to and make sure I'm okay."
Family-run
As a family-run business, we have over 28 years of experience of running and managing premium residential parks and retirement communities. We take a personal and informal approach to everything and our residents know there is always a friendly face they can call on. Our team is led by Penny Hardick, who Newport Park residents describe as a real friend. "Penny's lovely", resident Shirley Cann tells us. "I can pop in anytime to see her and the team with any problems I might have. It really makes a difference to my life."
The sentiment is echoed by partially-sighted resident Margaret Tregale: "I've had problems with my sight in the last few years and Penny has always been there for me."
Live more for Less
When it comes to retirement, it's important to choose a home which requires minimal maintenance and financial upkeep so you can enjoy a peaceful and stress-free life. Residents David and Sheila Hutchings explain: "more people are retiring to park homes because it's so much easier to manage." Neighbours Beryl and Rob Brooks agree, saying: "downsizing is a massive thing for people of our age… life is so much easier and it really takes the pressure off our families too."
In addition to their easy maintenance, our premium park homes offer spacious and luxurious living spaces in one of the UK's most desirable postcodes, for a fraction of the cost. Resident Pam Hine explains: "I wanted to come back to live in Topsham but it's very expensive to live in a conventional home here. This is the best option for me because I've got a two bedroom home, with parking and a garden all the way around for a fraction of the cost."
To hear more from our current residents as Riverside's sister park, Newport Park, please visit our testimonial page at: https://www.riversidemeadow.co.uk/testimonials
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