Craig and Beverley find real comfort in their serviced apartment at Ryman Healthcare’s Charles Upham Retirement Village – the location allows them to stay close to a wide circle of family and friends.
They have spent 10 months at the Rangiora-based village, and say their new home is similar in ways to their previous home in Kaiapoi.
hey have three children, Mark, Debbie and Marie. Then there are seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, two of which live in Australia.
The pair have often visited the great grandkids in Coolum, a seaside village on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. Family is important to Craig and Beverley and they keep in touch with the Australian youngsters via FaceTime.
Closer to home they love relaxing on their upper level apartment, where they enjoy morning sun and a panoramic view from Mt Grey to the Port Hills. “We’ve got no gardening, no lawn, and no worries,” Craig and Beverley say together.
Outside their home they can enjoy the colourful flower beds and the neatly clipped lawns maintained by the village gardener.
They like the fact they can drive out and about – into Rangiora or further afield to see friends or go shopping. Beverley likes to take her mobility scooter into the township.
The pair are very social. Perhaps it is their working background. They both worked in the footwear industry, including running a retail outlet, Allan’s Footwear, for many years in Cranford Street, St Albans.
At the village they enjoy bowls and play both the outdoor and shorter indoor variation of the game. The village’s Happy Hour, that occurs on a Wednesday for serviced apartment residents, is another social occasion with a good mix of food and drink on offer. Café Positano is a wonderful option if one of the children wants to join them at the village for a coffee and sandwich.
Beverley says it was a period of ill health and discussions with her family that helped the pair decide on Charles Upham as an option for stress-free retirement living. “This apartment was the obvious solution. The staff are great, living here is good as gold” Craig says.
Given Beverley’s need for some occasional help, they like that they can ask for a bit more assistance on day to day tasks.
The village is located just on the outskirts of Rangiora, and features architecturally designed independent townhouses and apartments, assisted living in serviced apartments, resthome, hospital and dementia care. Residents can also take advantage of a cafe, bowling green, an indoor heated swimming pool, spa, library, gym, hair and beauty salon, bar, shop and movie theatre.
Sales Advisor Chris Ashton says the village is rural, peaceful, and set amongst beautifully landscaped gardens. The design of the village centre means that the serviced apartments are in the heart of the village, so residents can make the most of the amenities. Everything is contained within one building. It’s easier to socialise with other residents too - playing cards or other group activities, Chris says.