Date: July 2011
SENIORS CELEBRATE NATIONAL ALLOTMENTS WEEK 8th – 14th AUGUST 2011
Green-fingered residents at Richmond Northampton, the award winning retirement village built and operated by Richmond Villages in Grange Park, are keeping fit and enjoying each others’ company while growing their own food on their allotments. A bumper crop is expected this summer as they celebrate National Allotments Week, which runs from 8th – 14th August.
National Allotments Week, run by the National Society of Allotments & Leisure Gardeners, is a great opportunity to demonstrate just how much fun allotments can be. For those who have sold their homes and gardens to retire to Richmond Northampton, time out tending plants is still possible thanks to some local allotments.
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Nick Ives, head gardener at Richmond Northampton, says: “We have award-winning landscaped grounds and gardens at our retirement village, and these are carefully tendered for the residents to enjoy so they don’t have to get involved with any work. However, some people were missing their gardens and the thrill of growing their own seasonal fruit and veg, so we arranged for them to have access to local allotments. We did all the heavy work to prepare the ground, and built a pagoda for them to sit and chat while taking breaks from gardening.”
Residents, who range in age from 61 to 95, have been busy growing a variety of produce, including potatoes, onions, sweet corn, apples, pears, lettuce and lots of soft fruits. Richmond Northampton is currently preparing two further allotments; one will have a fruit cage and the other a traditional Victorian kitchen garden with raised beds. Soon, there will be a harvest for all the residents to enjoy.
The six allotments are just a short walk from the retirement village, and residents pay Grange Park Parish Council a yearly rent of just £25 per allotment, or half that for a smaller sized plot.
Paddy Brice, managing director of Richmond Villages, comments: “We’re grateful to Grange Park Parish Council for making the allotments available. They have proved such a success with our residents. Gardening is an excellent way to keep fit while enjoying the outdoors, and when you’re on an allotment it’s also a very sociable activity. One of the best things though is that you reap the fruits of your labour and enjoy ‘just picked’ fresh fruit and vegetables.”
The £21 million Richmond Northampton development, located just off the M1 near junction 15, has been architecturally designed in a fresh ‘New England’ style and offers a variety of accommodation styles and services, along with excellent facilities.
For further information call 0844 4119 390 or visit www.richmond-villages.com
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Notes to editors:
Property information:
There are two types of accommodation available at Richmond Northampton. Independent Living Apartments, priced from £235,000, are ideal for those who can live independently, but like the idea of being in a safe and sociable community where care and assistance are close at hand if needed. These large apartments have a kitchen, living room and one or two bedrooms, with an en suite to the main bedroom. Assisted Living Apartments, priced from £145,000, are great for those who still want their own front door but who require some help with daily living; these include a spacious living room, kitchenette, one or two bedrooms and an en suite shower-room.
The company’s own on-site domiciliary care team provides as much or as little help as is needed 24 hours a day. There is also an impressive care home at the heart of the village providing 24-hour nursing and dementia care.
National awards
Richmond Villages operates award-winning retirement villages. Richmond Northampton, Richmond Painswick in the Cotswolds and Richmond Letcombe Regis in Oxfordshire have all been awarded ‘Best Retirement Development’ by both the What House? Awards and the Daily Mail Property Awards.
Richmond Northampton has also won the Daily Express New Homes Garden Award.
Richmond Letcombe Regis has been awarded the London Evening Standard New Homes Awards ‘Best New Retirement Development’ title, the Pinders Healthcare Design Award for ‘Independent Living’ and the What House? ‘Best Innovation in Over 50s Housing Award’. Richmond Painswick has also received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the ‘Assisted Living’ category at the Daily Telegraph Your New Home Awards.
To download these hi-res images via the LawsonClarke PR on-line press office go to: http://www.lawsonclarke.com/releases/richmond_villages/120711rich.htm
Issued by: Anne Toomey/Jeremy Clarke/Tracey Bretherton
anne.toomey@lawsonclarke.co.uk
clarke@lawsonclarke.co.uk
tracey.bretherton@lawsonclarke.co.uk
LawsonClarke PR
Tel: 01285 658844
Fax: 01285 650080
www.lawsonclarke.com
Ref: RV08/2011
