When Pauline Curwen moved into St Nicolas Lodge in Kings Norton, it wasn’t a move she had been actively planning. In fact, it was only after discovering Churchill Living’s rental option that she realised retirement living could work for her.
Having visited the Lodge regularly to see a friend who had already moved in, Pauline had become familiar with the welcoming atmosphere and community spirit on offer.
“My friend had been here for over a year and I used to come and visit her quite a lot,” she explains. “I got to like the way it was run and the whole feel of the place.”
While the idea of moving appealed to her, her existing property presented a challenge. Pauline owned a maisonette with a short lease, making a traditional sale less straightforward.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to move,” she says. “My flat had a short lease and I wouldn’t have got the value for it.”
The introduction of Churchill’s rental option provided an alternative solution. By renting out her own property to a young couple and using that income towards her rent at St Nicolas Lodge, Pauline was able to make the move she had thought might never be possible.
“It has worked out very well,” she says. “Renting my own property helps to pay towards living here, and that made the move achievable for me.”
Now settled into life at the Lodge, Pauline enjoys the balance between independence and community that retirement living provides.
“You’ve got your own apartment and your own space,” she explains. “But there are always things going on if you want to join in.”
Owners regularly organise activities and social events, from coffee mornings and keep-fit classes to meals out together.
“We might go out for a meal on a Sunday and we’ve got a keep-fit class on a Monday,” she says. “There are coffee mornings and other activities too.”
For Pauline, one of the greatest benefits of life at St Nicholas Lodge is the freedom to be as social as she chooses.
“If you want to join in, you can,” she says. “If you don’t feel like it, that’s fine too. I’m quite happy to take part in things, but there’s never any pressure.”
Having lived locally for many years, Pauline was keen to remain in an area she knew well and enjoys the location of the Lodge, as well as the view from her second-floor apartment.
“It’s a nice area and I like the view I’ve got,” she says. “It’s pleasant and I’m very happy here.”
Looking back, Pauline is delighted with the decision she made and the opportunity that renting provided.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to move,” she reflects. “But the rental option made it possible and it’s worked out really well.”