Meet Bournville Gardens resident, Maureen!

Maureen Rickards discusses her teaching career, her family supporting one another after a health setback and how choosing Bournville Gardens was ‘the best decision’ she ever made.

It was the best decision we have ever made, as it fulfilled our dreams of the sort of life we wanted in our later years.

I was a civil servant until our first child was born. Then we had our second child and I was a stay-at-home mum until they were both at school. As the children grew older, I hankered after the career I had always wanted, that of a primary school teacher and I decided to try and achieve that ambition and gained entrance to a teacher training course.

I loved the course and being among younger students, but we then suffered a setback when my husband had a catastrophic stroke in the December of my first year. The prognosis was poor but after six weeks he came home from hospital and with periods of daily rehab and the support of wonderful friends, I was able to resume my course, eventually obtaining an honours degree. I taught at schools until I retired.

Michael was never able to return to his very demanding job as a professional engineer with the CEGB, so it was good that with the support of our children and friends and his own determination to overcome a devastating event, that I could achieve my own dream.

Once I retired, we came to the realisation that we would have to downsize to a more suitable home for Michael’s needs. We looked at several places but none of them appealed, then our friends told us about the ExtraCare village at Hagley and the proposed village to be known as Bournville Gardens. We attended the open meetings and got involved with publicity events associated with the new development. We helped with laying the foundation stone and with Julie Etchingham’s ITV Tonight programme showcasing the village.

The time came for making a formal application for our new home and thankfully we were successful. It was the best decision we have ever made as it fulfilled our dreams of the sort of life we wanted in our later years.

At the time of our move, I was 71 and my husband was 75 but we would have moved earlier if the village had been available five years earlier. I think people leave it too long to make this move and miss out on so many things that make the villages wonderful places to live as the age connected health issues creep up on all of us eventually!

I still do some voluntary activities but less now that Michael’s health is a bit more unpredictable. We have carers twice a day, so Michael’s involvement with village life has declined somewhat but he does enjoy coffee with friends, the Wednesday evening meal and his twice weekly gym sessions. Luckily, I am still able to enjoy the facilities and events at BG. I enjoy the shows and concerts, line dancing, the choir and coffee with friends.