Meet Husband and wife Peter and Penny from Lovat Fields Village!

Penny: We’ve been at Lovat Fields for 11 years now and we love it. Where we previously lived there were lots of stairs, Peter’s health meant we couldn’t stay there long term. We initially received a leaflet about another retirement community Shenley Wood Village. I had always liked the idea of a retirement village and we had a friend who lived at Lovat Fields Village, a short distance from Shenley Wood. We went to visit our friend’s apartment to see it and decided Lovat Fields was for us. It was a lovely big apartment, we put our names down and that was it!

Peter: The village is in a great location for travelling to the city centre. The countryside around Lovat Fields is just beautiful. We settled quickly and attended a village party before we’d even moved in. To move from a 5-bed house to an apartment was quite an experience, our children helped us with downsizing and took most of the furniture. The move from a house where we had to do everything to an apartment where services were done for you was amazing and a big relief.

Penny: Now we are here we feel whoever dies first between us knows that the other will be alright. We are a part of the community. Peter volunteers here he delivers letters to residents whilst I work on reception and am secretary to the Residents Association. I’m also on the Resident’s Forum. It’s in our nature to help as Peter was Justice of the Peace and we both worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau too, we’ve always volunteered.

In terms of events, we like to go to curry evenings at the village, we also enjoy Sunday lunch and brunch on Saturday. The cook here makes Peter’s meals, and he collects them from the restaurant and brings them up to the apartment on a week day. Communities like these can really come together when necessary. During the COVID-19 pandemic every member of staff really stepped up to be there for us all. They were amazing.

Peter: Activity wise besides volunteering, I’m 91 and I still go bowling three times a week at an all-weather bowling green at the village.

Penny: I’m 82 and I still go to exercise classes twice a week at the gym. I’ve enjoyed it a lot and it’s open to everyone, people of all levels.

We’ve made some very close friends here; we meet downstairs and feel very safe and secure.  In your own house you may not know your neighbours, you feel much less lonely here. Here you can have a cup of coffee with anyone!