Terri and Steve

“We moved for practicality. We stayed because it feels like home.” 

Current Mayor of Kempston Steve Conway and former Mayor of Kempston Terri Conway thought they had another five years before making their next move.  Instead, a visit to their granddaughter’s London apartment changed the way they thought about their future and a move they had always assumed was years away.  

Today, the active couple live at The Newells in Kempston and describe the move as “the best decision we could have made”. 

“We always knew that single-level living would eventually become important for us,” said Terri. “But we never imagined finding somewhere that would feel quite like this. “At 65 and 71, we felt we had another five years before we’d need to think about a move. The reality was that we were already talking about what we wanted the future to look like. Once we started looking, we realised there wasn’t any reason to wait.” 

Steve, now 66, spent 33 years with the BBC, eventually becoming Duty Engineering Manager overseeing more than 180 television streams from Broadcast Centre in White City. Terri, now 72, previously worked as Head of a Pupil Referral Unit supporting children facing social, emotional and behavioural challenges. Neither Steve nor Terri has ever been particularly good at sitting still. Steve chairs Bedford Men in Sheds and learned to snowboard in his fifties, while Terri has taken up bridge and mixed media arts, skills she now teaches through Bedford Men in Sheds alongside her continued involvement in local community life. 

Their story together began more than three decades ago. After both found themselves unexpectedly single, they met as neighbours and Terri invited Steve to join her and her sister-in-law on a singles night out. “We sat down with our drinks and four hours later we were still talking,” Terri recalled. “At the end of the evening Steve asked me if I’d have the last dance with him. At the end of the dance, he picked me up and carried me off the dance floor.” The next morning, a large bouquet of flowers arrived at her door. “A couple of hours later he knocked and asked if he could take me and my two daughters out for dinner,” she said. That was 37 years ago. 

A move they thought was years away 

The couple spent many years living in West London before moving to Kempston in 2014 to be closer to Terri’s daughter, son-in-law and three granddaughters. “We ended up about 300 yards away from them,” said Terri. “The girls had to walk past our house to get to the school bus every morning, so they used to knock on the door and come in for a hug.” 

For more than a decade, they enjoyed life in a modern three-bedroom home nearby. But a serious knee injury and an osteoporosis diagnosis meant Terri was becoming increasingly aware that stairs might not always be practical. “We knew that at some point a single-level home would make sense,” she said. “We just didn’t think that point had arrived yet.” 

It was one of their granddaughters who helped them see things differently. While studying in London, she rented an apartment that Steve and Terri frequently visited. “We were totally taken with the idea of apartment living,” said Terri. “We started looking at apartments across Bedford, Milton Keynes and even London because we could see the appeal. “It wasn’t about downsizing. It was about simplifying life and making the most of it.” 

The experience changed the way they thought about their next move and prompted them to start exploring options closer to home. When they visited The Newells, they were immediately impressed by what they found.  “The spacious layouts, the high-quality finish and the facilities all stood out,” said Terri. 

Although they were impressed, they still saw it as something for the future rather than the present. Then they were invited to experience Adlington Retirement Living’s Try Before You Buy stay. “That changed everything,” she said. “We thought, why not? It’s a weekend away. “The apartment was lovely. Coming up and down in the lift, I realised there were no problems with my knees. The staff were wonderful, the restaurant was good and we just had such a nice time. “We came away thinking, yes, we could really see ourselves living here.” 

 Why wait? 

Even then, the couple still imagined making the move several years later. “We’d already decided that this was probably where we’d move to one day. The question became, why wait?” 

Terri remembers the conversation clearly. “I said to Steve, we could leave it for five years, but if we do, it might be full. Then you’re waiting and hoping the apartment you want becomes available. “If we do it now, we can choose exactly where we want to live and carry on enjoying life exactly as we always have. “That was it. We came in, put down a deposit and put the house on the market.” The house sold within two weeks, and the couple moved into their new home at The Newells in May 2025. They now live in a south-facing apartment on the top floor, complete with a balcony overlooking Kempston. 

“We specifically wanted the top floor and a south-facing apartment,” said Terri. “We like the sun and we love watching the world go by. “People often think moving somewhere like this means giving things up, but that’s never been our experience.” 

 Living life their way 

If anything, they say moving to The Newells has given them more freedom to focus on the things they enjoy. 

“We’ve always liked trying new things,” said Terri. “After retiring, I went to college and completed a City and Guilds qualification in mixed media art. I also learned to play bridge, which I’d always wanted to do, and now I teach both bridge and watercolour painting. “Steve learned to snowboard at 54 and was probably older than the rest of his class put together,” she laughed. “Neither of us has ever been very good at sitting still.” 

Alongside life at The Newells, Steve currently serves as Mayor of Kempston, while both he and Terri continue their work as town councillors and remain heavily involved in community activities across the town. The apartment’s second bedroom has been transformed into an office to support their many commitments. 

Family life remains just as important as ever. “If the family come for Sunday lunch, we go down to the restaurant together, have a lovely meal, sit in the coffee lounge, play darts and games, have drinks together and spend the afternoon catching up,” said Terri. “Then everybody goes home and there’s no washing up, no clearing up and nothing to tidy away. We just go back to our apartment and relax. What more could you ask for?” 

More freedom to enjoy life 

The couple also appreciate the freedom that comes from leaving behind the responsibilities of maintaining a house and garden. “Before, there was always something that needed doing,” said Steve. “You had to mow the lawn, cut the hedges, paint the fence, paint the shed and deal with all the little jobs that never stop. “Now we can simply enjoy the gardens. They always look lovely and somebody else takes care of all the hard work.” 

For both Steve and Terri, however, the strongest endorsement is the sense of community they have found. “The staff here are absolutely fabulous,” said Steve. “They’re always cheerful, always interested in what people are doing and always ready to help. “It genuinely feels like a community rather than just somewhere you live.” Terri agrees. 

 “We moved for practicality, but we stayed because it feels like home. “Today, we have absolutely no regrets. The staff are outstanding, the facilities are first-class and the sense of community is genuine and uplifting. “Moving here hasn’t just improved our lifestyle. It has given us comfort, community and confidence in the future. “We couldn’t ask for more.”

Share: