Case Study: Hilary Brooks

Hilary moved to Wadswick Green in 2016 and she always joins the Christmas lunch at The Greenhouse Restaurant. She lived in Australia for several years and still has most of her family there, so she appreciates being able to celebrate Christmas with the friends she has at Wadswick Green.

“I have been joining the celebrations at The Greenhouse Restaurant every year since I moved to Wadswick Green. I usually take part in the Christmas lunch on Christmas Day, which is a great Christmas lunch with all the trimmings. We usually have one very long table so that everyone can eat and enjoy the celebrations together.

“Over the years I have become a regular and I’ve made friends with some of the residents who take part. It’s always very good fun: we have a lovely meal, good laughs, and a few drinks of course!

“I retired shortly before moving to Wadswick Green.  I am single and have no children so before moving here I would frequently spend Christmas with my family in Australia.   It's a long way to go though and this year of course it wasn’t an option.

“The Christmas panto performance which is organised by some of the Wadswick Green residents is also always a good laugh and everybody looks forward to it.  Obviously, this year it will be different, but I’m sure something will be organised - it’s one of the highlights of the Christmas season in the village!

“Having lived in Australia for many years I was very familiar with the concept of retirement villages because they are very popular over there. Some of them even have waiting lists! I had always hoped I would be able to retire to something similar, so when I learned about Wadswick Green I thought it was just right.

“When I came to look at it in 2015 it was still under construction but I knew it was the kind of place I had been looking for. I moved into my flat in 2016, as soon as my house was sold. I no longer needed to commute to the City of London, so I didn’t need to live in the suburbs anymore and it was great to know that help is always on hand if needed.

“I moved in with my two cats, and they love it here – it’s cat heaven! One is an elderly female so she is very quiet, but the other one is always out and about. It’s funny because everyone seems to know him even though they don't know me! He loves the countryside around Wadswick Green, because it has a lot of places to roam and no fear of speeding traffic.  He certainly likes it here a lot more than London – and so do I.  Sometimes I go up to London to meet up with friends but I am always so relieved to get home again."