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Courtyards

CGA flies the flag for independent living

CGA flies the flag for independent living

We are extremely proud to announce that our brand-new flagship complex – ‘The Courtyards’ in Ingol - has welcomed its first residents!

‘The Courtyards’ is a unique extra care scheme for the over 60s, complete with 60 stylish apartments, a bistro, hairdressers, beauty salon, treatment rooms, wellness suite and activity hub, supplemented with 24-hour care provision for residents who require it.

Kathy Hadden, our Extra Care Manager said:

“We are thrilled with how smoothly day one has gone and our new residents are well and truly settled in. Our first resident even managed to get their supermarket shopping delivered right to their apartment within hours of moving in, which was great to see and exactly what we aimed for when we co-designed The Courtyards in conjunction with our existing customers – it’s absolutely “the place to be” for independent living in older age.”

“I am confident that The Courtyards will be a genuinely vibrant and dynamic place for the over 60s, with fabulous apartments and great community facilities for residents to enjoy with their families and friends. All fully accessible too to anyone with impaired mobility. We know it’s been a godsend for people like Mrs Clarkson who wants to live in her own home with support from neighbours and staff when she needs it, whilst being able to enjoy a range of facilities close by.”

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The facilities, along with the communal garden space, will also be open to residents’ families and for the neighbouring community to enjoy once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

Mr Rego moved into The Courtyards earlier this week and is delighted with his apartment, he said: 

“The unpacking is almost done and everything is in its new place. There’s nowhere quite like the Courtyards, im going to be very happy here."

With three open-spaced landscaped areas, an outdoor cabin for gardening and carpentry, together with outdoor fitness activities, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy whether they’re living at or visiting The Courtyards. When you just fancy a chat and a bite to eat, you can turn to the onsite Bistro, run by local Dragons’ Den celebrity Jamie Asquith.

All 1 and 2 bed apartments complete with their own personal outdoor space are being offered at affordable rents, to complement the wide range of housing which CGA already provides in the local area and you can find out more on our dedicated webpages here or get in touch by calling 0800 953 0213 or emailing the team on extra.care@communitygateway.co.uk.

You can read about what The Courtyards meant to Mrs Bateman in an earlier article here.

Apartment offer at The Courtyards will see family reunited

Apartment offer at The Courtyards will see family reunited

Our brand new, exciting extra care scheme in Ingol, Preston is nearing completion. The modern purpose-built accommodation features 40 x one-bedroom apartments and 20 x two-bedroom apartments. It also features a beautifully designed bistro seating up to 70 people, stylish hair salon, attentive on-site care team delivering services around the clock and various outdoor communal spaces surrounded by stunning gardens.

We are eager to announce that we have successfully allocated half of the apartments, bringing lots of excitement and joy to our future residents. The feedback received following the successful applicants receiving their formal offers has been fantastic and extremely uplifting during this uncertain and challenging time.

One of the successful applicants, Mrs Bateman is moving all the way from Bristol to reside back in Preston where she originally grew up and where her family remains. This offer of accommodation isn’t only impacting on Mrs Bateman’s health and well-being, but also her family who have wanted her to return to Preston for several years now. Her daughter Dawn got in touch expressing how grateful the family are, she said:

“My Mum has just called me crying her eyes out with sheer delight relief happiness joy and every other emotion possible. Her letter received this morning will change her life for the better and has come at the exact best time for her.  She has been self-isolating since March 13th and the last couple of days she has begun struggling a great deal with it all. Now she has a new lease of life and will be a new woman now!  

My daughter and I are so happy and excited that she can move to be near us and to be soon living in such a marvellous place it is a dream come true.  Thank you so much for your great communication throughout this application process and to have such a happy outcome will stay with me and my Mum forever.  We have honestly lived and breathed in hope since day one and just cannot believe how lucky we are.”

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Services we have on offer at The Courtyards

  • The Bistro is open to residents and the community to enjoy with family and friends. Enjoy a cup of tea and cake or even a Sunday lunch.
  • 24-hour support and care available if desired to all residents
  • Internet access and Wi-Fi throughout, keeping you in touch with family and friends
  • Outdoor gym apparatus encouraging health and wellbeing
  • On-site hairdresser allowing residents to sit back and relax without having to travel to a salon

How to Apply

We are doing our best to open the show apartment for viewings very soon. If you would like to speak with our Extra Care Manager about the development, please contact us on 0800 953 0213.

For more information and to apply online visit, communitygateway.co.uk/thecourtyards

Birthday celebrations at The Courtyards!

Birthday celebrations at The Courtyards!

There were balloons, cake and music all round last week for the first Birthday celebrations of The Courtyards.

Residents and colleagues gathered at our brand new state-of-the-art onsite bistro for an afternoon of birthday celebrations which included a ‘Flash Mob’ performance of Motown Classics.

The Courtyards opened in February 2021 and is our flagship independent living scheme based in Ingol which caters for the over 60’s. Complete with 60 stylish apartments, a bistro, hairdressers, treatment/consultation rooms and an activity room, it’s also supplemented with a 24-hour care provision for those residents who may require it. 

All one and two-bed apartments have their own personal outdoor space and are offered at affordable rents, to complement the wide range of housing we already provide in the local area. The whole complex and facilities is open to the general public.

Fiona Fisher, Head of Housing Services, delivered a heartfelt speech thanking residents, colleagues and carers for a brilliant first year.

It was so lovely to see everyone together, chatting and enjoying themselves after the last 12 months. Thank you to our team for all the hard work they do and thank you Guardian Homecare who help us to look after the residents and ensure everyone is enjoying themselves and living life to the full!

Check out a video from the event below!

Preston Mayor unveils new unique extra care scheme

Preston Mayor unveils new unique extra care scheme

Last week we formally marked the opening of our new extra care scheme The Courtyards

Chief Executive Rob Wakefield and Mayor of Preston Councillor Javed Iqbal unveiled a plaque in the central courtyard to mark the occasion, before welcoming guests to look round the high-spec facilities. Guests included Gateway tenants, Councillors, former Mayor Brian Rollo, The Chairman of Lancashire Council Councillor Barrie Yates, partners, contractors and scheme residents.

Councillor Iqbal said:

“Gateway is a real success story in Preston, with a track record of working with local people. This is another fine example. Places like this are desperately needed in the community, so I’m delighted to officially declare The Courtyards open.”

The purpose-built scheme on Dovedale Avenue, Ingol is one-of-a-kind in Preston, offering independent living for the over 60s in a community setting. It offers 60 spacious apartments, a bistro, hair and beauty salon, communal lounge, consultation and activity rooms, supplemented with 24-hour care provision for residents if required. All facilities, including the stunning, landscaped gardens, are fully accessible and open to the public.

Rob Wakefield, Chief Executive led the thanks, saying:

“I am delighted that so many people who were here at the beginning have been able to join us today. This was a flagship project for us, so of particular significance to us and the city and it underpins our commitment to tackling social isolation. It is a unique facility and in true Gateway style, the concept started with our tenants. Some years ago, a few of our local sheltered scheme residents lobbied senior staff and our Board to build a place just like this; it was their persistence that took us on this journey, working alongside us to design somewhere that would meet the needs of those in later life.

“What matters though is ‘does it work for the people who live here and call it home?’ - the answer is an emphatic yes. One resident told me ‘I feel like every day is a holiday’, another ‘I cried tears of joy when I moved here.’ We’re especially pleased to work in conjunction with Guardian Homecare, who have just received an excellent regulatory judgment from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).”

 

The Courtyards speech

 

Fiona Fisher, Head of Housing Services added:

“The Courtyards is such a vibrant and welcoming building, which when you look round almost invites you to pick your own apartment. Each has dual aspects and outdoor space, so is light and airy. Since opening earlier this year, we have let 50 apartments and it makes me smile to see how residents have quickly put their individual stamp on each one. It’s said that moving home is one of the most stressful times in life, but our residents have risen beautifully to the challenge and breathed life and laughter into our wonderful building.”

County Councillor Graham Gooch, cabinet member for adult social care, said:

"We know that people want to continue to live independently and have their own space as they get older.

"The Courtyards is a great way for people in Preston to do this. It has a really good range of on-site facilities, modern living accommodation, support workers available 24/7 and residents have their own front doors for their independence. Facilities like this are truly part of the local community.

"Extra care helps people to enjoy a more active lifestyle and evidence shows that this benefits not just the individuals who live there, but also reduces pressures for admissions into hospital and residential care.”

To find out more about The Courtyards and how to apply click here or call 0800 953 0213.