Two Owners at Churchill Living’s Chantry Lodge in Andover have proven that it’s never too late to find love after marrying following more than 70 years of friendship.
87-year old Joyce and George Dent met in 1940 when they were 11 years old as pupils at Northallerton Grammar School in Yorkshire. After leaving school, they both moved away from the town, for further education and work, and married other people.
In the course of time they were living back in Yorkshire, but in different towns. A chance meeting at a Christian Ecological group in Leeds in 1990 led to the couple reconnecting and, along with their partners, they became fast friends. When Joyce sadly lost her husband in 1999, George and his wife were by her side, and vice versa when George’s wife passed away in 2007. By which time Joyce had moved to Andover to be nearer to her children.
The following year, love blossomed for George and Joyce when they decided to marry and move into a new home together in Andover.
Joyce said: “When people hear our story of how we met, they always say how lovely it is. When I walked into that meeting in Leeds and saw George there, I was amazed it was him! It had been 45 years since we’d last seen each other. We were very fortunate to have found each other again. We have grown to be wonderful companions and we know how lucky we are to have each other.”
After eight years of marriage, the happy couple decided last year that their four-bedroom home had become too big to maintain. Instead the time was right to downsize to Churchill Living’s new Chantry Lodge on Chantry Street.
George explains: “We’re in reasonably good health so we thought it’d be better to go through the upheaval of downsizing and moving sooner rather than later. We explored the idea of retirement living quite a lot. We wanted somewhere that offered independence, but with emergency assistance if required, close to local amenities and transport. Chantry Lodge certainly ticked all of the right boxes.
“We moved in two days before Christmas and have enjoyed getting to know our fellow Owners at the Lodge. Our two-bedroom apartment is the perfect size and we’re so glad we made the move when we did – we didn’t want to wait until it got to the point where we couldn’t take care of our house anymore. We wanted to stay in Andover, so we are so pleased that these apartments are available right in the centre of town.”
Chantry Lodge is a new collection of privately owned retirement apartments and shared facilities, designed exclusively for the over 60s. Offering quality retirement accommodation and safe and independent living, the development is in a convenient location close to local shops and amenities.
Apartments boast spacious rooms throughout and an ideal combination of design and functionality. The fully fitted, stylish kitchens include a built in fridge and freezer, hob and an oven, which is located at an easy-reach height. All of the properties benefit from illuminated light switches for added convenience. Owners also enjoy ultimate peace of mind from a fitted camera entry system for the highest level of security and a 24 hour emergency call system. A number of the apartments also benefit from walk out balconies.
With less to worry about, Owners will have more time to do the things they enjoy, including taking advantage of the host of other benefits which will be on offer including having family or friends to stay in the development’s well-appointed Guest Suite or attending one of the many events, which take place in the Owners’ Lounge. Owners can also take advantage of Churchill’s Reward Card, which gives them access to exclusive deals and discounts on a variety of national brands and local retailers in Andover.
To find out more about the apartments available at Chantry Lodge, visit the showhome open daily from 10am to 5pm or call 01264 252 348.