Don’t let your bricks and mortar get in the way of living your life to the full
John and Marcia had been looking for a bungalow to retire to when they heard about The Cottons, an Adlington Retirement Living community in Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester.
After visiting they quickly decided that the spacious apartments, well-maintained gardens and friendly community were just what they were looking for.
They were about to make their first move in 57 years!
“We first met when I was playing bowls in a park and Marcia was with her friends,” John explains.
“I was 24 and Marcia was 20 when we got married and we lived in our house in Haslingden in the Rossendale Valley for 57 years, until we came to The Cottons in March 2020.”
Since the move, the couple’s lives have been transformed. They now have more free time to enjoy the gardens.
“We enjoy gardening and we’ve joined the gardening club here,” John adds.
They have a small allotment in the raised beds and have managed to grow some carrots, potatoes and beetroot. they also have two pots on their patio.
“We also have a garden on either side of our patio that’s our own, and then the main Adlington gardens which are beautiful.
“The gardeners come and tend to them and we have a lawn, quite a large one, in front of us and they come every two to three weeks and cut the grass.”
John is also enjoying a new-found freedom of not having to worry about maintenance.
“It’s been a big relief not having to worry about doing jobs around the house,” he says.
“We have a very good handyman here and we get a lot of help. It’s a great relief to know that I have no external repairs and very little decorating, if any, to do.”
There’s also the benefit of not having to worry about their property if they go away on holiday.
As Marcia explains: “We went to Ambleside for a week’s holiday in September and we didn’t even have to think about the security of our home.”
They have also enjoyed getting to know their neighbours.
“We’ve got to know almost all of them,” says Marcia.
“They’re all very nice people and have become good friends. There’s one lady from Coventry and one from Barnsley in Yorkshire and also many who are local.
“In the lockdown we all got to know each other very well. We used to go and sit in the sun, because the first three months we had beautiful weather.
“We’ve stayed very good friends. Now we meet newcomers in the restaurant, and we have a right good chat over our dinner.”
John and Marcia have appreciated having the help and support of the staff too.
“They’re always saying ‘is there anything you need? anything we can do?’ They’re very helpful.”
They are also very handy for the shops. “The shopping centre is just a hundred yards walk away. It’s very convenient.”
Belonging to a community was important to John and Marcia when they were looking to move.
“We wanted to know what sort of community we would come to,” says John.
“The Homeowners’ Lounge is open and the hair salon’s good too.”
“It’s much better than having to go out to the barbers,” John declares.
Marcia sums up life at The Cottons: “Our two sons think we have made the right move. I actually love it. I feel like I’m on my holidays!”
To find out more about Adlington Retirement Living you can visit a range of furnished show apartments which are open to view Monday to Saturday at The Sidings in Lytham, The Woodlands in Heaton Mersey, Jacobs Gate in Sheffield, The Sailings in Southport, The Folds in Romiley from 10am to 5pm.
Call 0800 118 1694 to find out more or visit Adlington.co.uk.
