Margaret

“I’m in awe of it all”: Margaret on finding home, friendship and freedom

When Margaret moved to Brookfields House in March 2025, she brought with her a lifetime of teaching, travel and family memories, and a clear idea of what she wanted: security, independence, and company.

“I’m 83. I was born in 1942 in Prestatyn in North Wales, but only because the Liverpool hospital where my mum was due to give birth was bombed. So, I’m really from Liverpool.”

A life in learning

“I met my husband, Paul, at teacher training college between 1960 to 1963. After qualifying, I taught French, Spanish and English at a secondary school in Liverpool for two years until we married in 1965.

“Paul was from Stoke, so we moved to Congleton. He taught maths and became head of the department. Eventually, I joined him at the same school because they were short of language teachers. Someone asked, ‘Doesn’t your wife teach languages?’ and that was that.

“Paul died very suddenly in 2018 from pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed, and three weeks later he had passed away, and is still hugely missed.

“But we were fortunate, we both retired at 50, so we enjoyed more time together in retirement than during our working lives. That was a huge blessing – travelling, exploring, doing what we loved.

“When our sons were young, we camped in the UK and Western Europe. After retirement, we bought a caravan and spent three months every winter in Spain, then worked as couriers for French Country Camping for two summers – it kept my languages alive, and we’d take our time coming back through France. We went further afield too, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania. We had some excellent holidays.”

Family

“We have two sons, Simon and Patrick, and six grandchildren.

“Simon became a lawyer, he’s in Bristol. Patrick is an assistant headteacher in Stoke, hoping to retire this Christmas. They were both a fantastic support when Paul died.”

“I managed in the house for seven years after that, but gradually I felt ready. Especially after COVID, which I found very hard, being so solitary. I saw a flyer for Brookfields House and thought, actually, I’m ready for a move now.”

“The location, just over one mile away, meant I could keep doing everything I do now, running the pétanque club, U3A, WI, my walking group, all of that. But without the hassle of the house. The garden was becoming a chore, and I didn’t want to live through major work like changing the bathroom to a wet room.

“Security was important too. It’s a nice area, but once or twice I felt a bit vulnerable on my own, like one night someone hammered on the door at 11pm and it turned out to be a pizza delivery at the wrong house.

“When I met Claire and Jason, the sales team here, I thought it sounded amazing. My son and daughter-in-law came with me, and they said, ‘Mum, it’s a no brainer.’ And what I liked was that neither Claire nor Jason did any pressurised selling, despite explaining every detail, and truthfully answering our questions. I thought that was refreshing.”

The move

“The house sale was stressful, nearly a year from putting it on the market to moving in. Buyers pulling out, solicitors dragging their heels. It was up and down. But Claire and Jason kept supporting me, and Karen from Adlington’s head office too. They were wonderful, regularly phoning to say, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll sort it’. I valued this reassurance.

“Adlington also arranged help from the Senior Move Partnership. After 49 years in our four-bedroom home in the Westlands, a lady called Emma came to look at my furniture. With my son and daughter-in-law, she worked out what would fit. She even drew up a brilliant three-dimensional plan showing where everything would go. That was a huge help.

“I’d already been running carloads down to Dougie Mac and British Heart Foundation. I joked they’d invite me to their Christmas party; I was in there so often. For the bigger things, Emma arranged for somebody to take them away.

“Three times buyers pulled out, so by the time I finally moved in March 2025, I was surrounded by boxes and very fed up. Patrick said, ‘Come and stay with us, Mum, just get away from it.’ When I came back the next day, Claire was at the door with a big bouquet for my birthday. Jason had even tried to deliver them the day before but missed me. I was to touched and delighted with the gesture.

“I even had a pamper day before moving. I had my hair done, my daughter-in-law Anne had her nails done, and we all had afternoon tea in the restaurant. Such a lovely gesture.

“Moving day itself went amazingly well. Emma was at the house making sure everything was handed over properly. Here, they told me, ‘You stay in the coffee lounge and let us sort it out.’ Patrick and Anne directed things with the removal men. And when I finally came up, the big boxes were already unpacked, and there was a gorgeous hamper waiting for me.

“Patrick and Anne even stayed in the guest suite overnight, so Anne could help me the next morning. By the end of the first day, I was settled. After all the stress, it was such a positive experience.”

Life now

“Paul and I used to play pétanque in France and Spain, and we joined a club in Kidsgrove 16 years ago. I still play twice a week and somehow ended up running the club. It’s more of a social gathering really.

“I’m still in U3A as well. I help run a French reading group, and I go to quizzes, talks, and art appreciation trips to galleries and museums. I like keeping busy. Then there are family visits. My grandchildren FaceTime me or visit when they can. After a day in Liverpool or busy outing, I love sitting on my balcony here, looking at the garden. It’s bliss.

“When I told friends I was moving, some said, ‘I can’t see you in a home.’ There are a lot of misconceptions. My sisters, in their 90s, had mixed feelings – one was excited, the other worried about me leaving my home. But when my brother brought them to visit, they thought it was wonderful. He’s an electrical engineer, and he looked everything over saying, ‘They haven’t skimped, the quality is good.’ That reassured me.

Community and friendship

“The first thing I noticed was how friendly everybody was. Mike, the general manager, greeted me. Every time you see him, or any of the duty managers, they’re always friendly, without fail.

“I can walk out in the morning and Michelle, one of the cleaning ladies, will call, ‘Morning, Mar!’ Then in the restaurant or coffee lounge, everybody speaks. Every single person you meet. Paul, the handyman – they’re all so lovely.

“My new neighbours are wonderful too. We meet up in the restaurant or the coffee lounge. Just last night, I was at a quiz. There are so many things happening, I’m so busy. The only problem is fitting it all in – but that’s a nice problem to have!

“The restaurant is fantastic; the quality of the food is superb. I don’t eat there every day, but Tuesdays and Fridays after pétanque, I don’t feel like cooking. Then there’s the Thursday ‘Food Explorers Club’ with themed meals. We’ve had Chinese, Indian, Spanish, and next week is Welsh. Themed food, decorations, flags, it’s wonderful. I’ve been to them all, and they’ve been brilliant.

“We also have buffet evenings with entertainment. We had a garden party with a barbecue organised by the local butchers who supply the restaurant. The food was amazing, there was live music, and glorious weather. It was idyllic. Afterwards, we piled into a neighbour’s apartment to watch the Wimbledon final together. It was such a lovely day; we didn’t want it to end.

“I probably do have a more active social life here than before.”

Support and reassurance

“When I first moved in, Sky, and BT Outreach told me I couldn’t have broadband because of something to do with the alarm system. I spoke to Mike, our General Manager, and he said, ‘Interesting – three other homeowners with Sky had the same issue.’ He got onto the heads of BT and Sky, had a meeting with them, and sorted it.

“If ever I have any problems with technology Mike just says, ‘I’ll send Nick up.’ Nick’s a whiz kid with that stuff. They know each staff member’s strengths, and it’s a huge help.

“When I went on a river cruise in Paris, the first person I saw when I got back was Claire, one of the staff. She said, ‘Leave your case, I’ll take it up for you.’ Little things like that. And while I was away, I didn’t worry once – no anxiety about leaving the heating on or the water running. I knew my home was safe.”

Money, confidence and saying yes to life

“Before I committed, I sat down with my children and went through all the charges to make sure it was affordable. They were wonderfully supportive. They said, ‘Mum, it’s your life, your money. Enjoy it.’ That gave me confidence.

“I’ve always kept a ledger since we were married – monthly ins and outs. I know exactly what’s coming in and going out. It’s worked all my life, so I still do it now. I showed the children everything and asked, ‘Can I afford it?’ Patrick said yes. And then he and Anne said, ‘Go and book yourself a cruise!’ That gave me a lot of confidence.”

“I keep thinking about another river cruise, but the prices for single occupancy are ridiculous. I can’t justify spending that for a week’s holiday. But both my daughters-in-law say, ‘You don’t have to justify anything. It’s your money, do what you want, enjoy it.’”

Advice to others

“If I were advising someone considering moving into a retirement community, I’d say: do it now. Don’t hesitate. Do it while you’ve got the energy and the mental ability to make the most of it, knowing there’s massive support here. The personal, human touch is brilliant.

“Sometimes I want to say to friends who don’t know what to do, ‘For goodness’ sake, do it!’ Of course, you have to be tactful, people have to come to the decision themselves. But honestly, don’t wait too long.”

Today, and tomorrow

“This afternoon I’m going to afternoon tea with my friends. There’s a pianist coming.

“Now I feel I’ve got the best of both worlds. I can carry on with all my clubs, pétanque, U3A, visiting family, going to Liverpool to see my family. But when I come back here, I’ve got security, a new group of friends, and no worries about the garden or the house. And I can just sit out on my balcony in the morning with my breakfast, listening to the birds.

“Moving here has been even more than I expected – the space, the gardens, the restaurant, the activities, the friends. There’s a real sense of community. I’ve got more of a social life now than I had before, and I feel supported, safe, and happy.

“I keep telling people, when they ask how I’m doing, ‘I’m in awe of it all.’ I’ve never had an experience like this before. Everybody is just so lovely, I can’t get over it.”

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