With a catalogue of holidays already under their belts and many more planned, Ortus Homes has opened up a whole new world for retirees John and Jackie Hayward
Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that retirees aged 65 to 79 are the happiest age group amongst all UK adults.
The study* of over 300,000 people has found that far from preparing to take life more slowly, this age group are embracing life with more time to spend on activities and holidays they enjoy, which ultimately goes a long way to in ensuring their overall happiness and wellbeing.
John, 71, and Jackie, 67, Hayward, homeowners at Walmsley Place, an Ortus Homes development in Bishops Waltham in Hampshire, are certainly testament to these findings. Since making the move last summer, the couple are enjoying a more active social life in a new-found community, and are going on more holidays than ever before.
The couple who have lived in Bishops Waltham for over 20 years, were considering downsizing for some time when they saw that Ortus Homes, part of the McCarthy and Stone group, were building in the area.
John said: “We both wanted to downsize at a young-enough age so that we could enjoy our new lifestyle to the fullest, but we struggled to find an appropriate property in the area.
“We were absolutely delighted when we saw that Ortus Homes were building in Bishops Waltham as it meant that we were lucky enough to be able to stay in the beautiful, historical town that we love so much.
“We were attracted to the development because it offered us the peace of mind of being able to leave the apartment for holidays without having to worry about security. We have just come back from a three-week holiday in the Caribbean and it was great knowing that whilst we were away we could lock up and leave knowing our home was completely safe and secure.”
This was Jackie and John’s sixth trip to the Caribbean. After returning less than a month ago, the couple are now preparing for their next destination, Australia. 
Jackie comments: “Being able to leave our apartment without any worries or hassle is certainly an invaluable benefit of Ortus Homes. This is why we have not hesitated to book our next trip to Australia to see our daughter and granddaughter. We try our best to visit them at least once a year but our move to Walmsley Place will certainly make spending time over there much easier.”
The couple’s family have been very supportive of their move to the development. Jackie said: “Our children are very happy as they can see what a lifestyle change it’s been for us! Our granddaughter, 11, is even coming back from Australia to stay a few weeks with us to check out our new apartment, she doesn’t like to miss a trick!’
Talking about their holidays, the couple added how they are also hoping to travel to Switzerland at some point this year.
When they are not jetting off abroad, the couple enjoy leading an active social life with friends and family. To accommodate their love for entertaining guests, they decided to renovate their apartment to create a combined kitchen and lounge area.
Jackie, who was trained as a chef and enjoys hosting diner parties said: “I enjoy cooking for my guests but I wanted a bigger space I could prepare food in, but still talk to my guests at the same time. Our apartment was already lovely and open plan, but a few slight tweaks here and there have allowed us to put our own unique touch on it, which we like.
“Now our renovation is complete, we hosted our first dinner party here the other week with eight family members, and it was absolutely lovely! We thought that maybe when we downsized we wouldn’t have the room to entertain guests, however this was not an issue as we had plenty of room – and even though I was the cook, I still got to be a part of it all!”
Although the couple may be escaping the cold British winter months, they are looking forward to enjoying the summer at Walmsley Place. John said: “This summer we plan to simply enjoy the fruits of our labours in our new apartment and the beautiful grounds of the development. It will be lovely to see how the grounds flourish in the summer months – we won’t need to go on holiday!”
Jackie added: “Life at Walmsley Place is very busy and flies by in a blur of coffee mornings, leisurely lunches and even the odd cocktail party! We have made great friends with some of the other homeowners so it will be lovely to be at home for the summer to plan more activities together.”
Ortus Homes is part of the McCarthy and Stone Group, which recently achieved the full five-star customer service satisfaction rating for an eleventh consecutive year from the Home Builders Federation (HBF). Exclusively for the over 55 age group, Ortus Homes are designed to bring together a community of like-minded people desiring a premium lifestyle.
With the beautiful grounds maintained by the development’s Management Services Team, homeowners have the benefit of enjoying their retirement without the hassle of maintenance.
Kim Caldwell, Sales and Marketing Director for Ortus Homes, commented: ‘”It’s an incredibly rewarding part of our job when we hear how happy our homeowners are, so it’s great to hear that Jackie and John are enjoying their new lifestyle at Walmsley Place.
“Ortus Homes helps retirees to spend more time doing the things they enjoy and John and Jackie certainly demonstrate this with their many holidays! For people like John and Jackie who like to travel, Ortus Homes is the perfect solution. It offers the independence of home ownership combined with the peace of mind of additional security and low maintenance which takes the hassle of going on holiday away.”
Walmsley Place consists of 32 two-bedroom apartments, each with intelligently designed modern interiors and spacious master bedrooms with en-suites. Homeowners can enjoy underfloor heating throughout, fully fitted modern kitchens and bathrooms, and access to an elegant central atrium and landscaped communal gardens.
There are also three stunning two bedroom cottages on-site, each offering their own private patio and garden, with other selected apartments enjoying private terraces of their own.
Prices from £335,500 – £655,500 for a two-bedroom property. For further information about Walmsley Place please visit Ortus Homes/0800 201 4847
[mappress mapid=”190″]*Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35471624
