News

Memories of a Liverpool Lad

Following last year's successful series of afternoon talks, which included subjects such as photography and volunteer work in Africa, the talks programme for 2012 started off on Tuesday, 31st January, with Carl Menkin, a gentleman who has enjoyed a rich and varied life, sharing some of his memories.

A 30-strong audience enjoyed Carl's reminiscences of growing up in Liverpool when money was tight and hearing tales from his sea-faring days after he joined the Royal Navy at 17 and travelled extensively. Peppering his talk with his own poetry inspired by his experiences over the years, Carl also came armed with a suitcase full of old photos and other memorabilia gathered throughout his very interesting life.

The afternoon was rounded off with a chance to mingle and chat over light refreshments, including a tempting array of sandwiches and home-baked cakes.

Details of similar talks which are planned to be held in 2012 will appear in the "Events" section of this website.

Boughton Hall featured in retirement village article

An article highlighting the benefits of retirement villages, a relatively new concept in the retirement property market, appeared in the supplement accompanying the Sunday Telegraph on 29th January and featured Boughton Hall in its opening paragraphs.

Headed "Why settle for anything less?", the article succinctly summed up what the over-55s can now look forward to when considering where to spend their retirement years. It said:

"Today's retirement homes go beyond the idea of small and functional. From stately homes to wildflower meadows, there's something to suit the tastes of even the most discerning retiree.

"To the uninitated, a 'retirement community' conjures up images of identical homes lacking character and individuality. To those in the know, however, it means quite the reverse - and they point to new schemes coming out in the next few months to prove their case.

"Boughton Hall shows that these communities are often brilliantly located in some of the most sought-after areas, with this one just a mile from Chester city centre and sitting on its own four acres of grounds. The original Grade II-listed house, which is a former Barnardo's children's home, has been restored and extended by developer Enterprise Retirement Living to host a restaurant, beauty salon, gym, bar, lounge and library. Some apartments are in this building, but most - including 28 being added this year - are in the grounds."

Source: Get Up and Go, February 2012, distributed with the Sunday Telegraph

Ladies get New Year off to a good start

Following two similar events held in 2011 which proved enormously popular, Boughton Hall started its new calendar of social activities with another Pamper Day on Wednesday, 18th January.

All the treatment slots were fully booked by the ladies of Boughton Hall - both residents and guests - all eager to banish the stresses and excesses of the festive period with a little pampering. Treatments included hand and arm massage with a manicure, Reiki, and Reflex Zone Therapy (a form of foot massage).

Everyone had a Bucks Fizz, and chocolates, on arrival, followed by brunch in the Garden Room Restaurant after enjoying the treatments.

Keep an eye on the "events" section on this website for details for future pamper days.

School Children Provide Christmas Entertainment

On the afternoon of 15th December, the seasonal festivities continued when the children from Year 2 at the local Cherry Grove Primary School came to Boughton Hall to entertain residents, guests and staff with a selection of Christmas carols from their nativity play. The appreciative audience enjoyed mulled wine and mince pies following the delightful performance, while the children each received chocolates from the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, washed down with fruit juice.

Boughton Hall's staff and management would like to thank the children and teachers of the school who so generously gave of their time to share their music at this special time of year.

Black Tie Candlelit Dinner

The success of last year's pre-Christmas black tie candlelit dinner prompted the management of Boughton Hall to re-stage the event this year. As it proved to be another hit, its future is, no doubt, secured as an annual highlight of the Christmas season.

Open only to residents of Boughton Hall and their guests, the dinner was held on the evening of Monday, 12th December, in the stunning Garden Room Restaurant. A delicious three-course dinner, prepared by Boughton Hall's dedicated chefs, was served and the party-goers enjoyed live entertainment by a talented female singer.

Such a good time was had by those attending that many missed their midnight carriages!

Three Reasons to Celebrate!

At a Christmas carvery lunch on Thursday, 1st December, there was plenty to celebrate in advance of the forthcoming seasonal festivities. Neil Davison, managing director of Enterprise Retirement Living, presented Samantha Howarth of Barnardo's with a cheque for £1,400, representing the profits of Boughton Hall's second annual fête in September. During the presentation, Neil offered "a big thank you to June [Boughton Hall's general manager], all the staff involved, Samantha from Barnardo's and all the owners and their families who gave up their time and put so much energy into making the day a success."

Another presentation saw John Dalton, one of the apartment owners, receiving a vote of thanks and a bottle of champagne for masterminding a scheme to further benefit Barnardo's. Called "Lotto Bonus Ball", forty-nine numbers are allocated to individual resident owners and members of staff, who each pay £1 per number. The winner is the holder of the number that matches the bonus ball drawn in the national Wednesday night main lottery game. £30 goes to the winner and the balance of £19 is accumulated each week to be donated to Barnardo's.

Finally, handing a framed certificate to June Callaghan, general manager at Boughton Hall, Neil was pleased to announce: "Aside from our already prestigious Gold Award from the Elderly Accommodation Counsel, I am very proud that we achieved 'Highly Commended' at the UK Property Awards, run by Google and Bloomberg. Previously sponsored by the Daily Mail, entries from fifty retirement villages nationally were made, of which only two received this level of award."

This ceremonious occasion, which commenced in the reception lounge with drinks and canapés, was well attended by the resident owners, nearly all of whom were there. After the various presentations, everyone enjoyed the wonderful festive feast laid on by Boughton Hall's chefs, John and Andrea, and the event carried on well into the afternoon.

National Garden Scheme Visits Boughton Hall

John Hinde, head of the National Garden Scheme for Cheshire and the Wirral, gave a talk at Boughton Hall on Tuesday, 15th November, based on the history of the NGS. The 20-strong audience, a mixture of Boughton Hall residents and guests, were also shown slides of some of the fabulous gardens which are part of the scheme.

Most gardens in the NGS are privately-owned and all money raised (including from the sale of teas and plants) goes to the NGS, which supports various nursing, caring and gardening charities, including McMillan Nurses and Marie Curie. As most of the work is done by volunteers, more than 80p in every pound goes directly to the Scheme's beneficiaries and, last year, a total of £2.6 million was raised nationally.

The participants in the afternoon, which was rounded off with light refreshments, thoroughly enjoyed the talk and there were lots of suggestions of gardens that can be visited locally.

Coffee Morning for Breast Cancer

A coffee morning was held on Saturday, 29th October, in aid of breast cancer research. A delicious selection of home-made cakes - all beautifully decorated in pink - were for sale, along with some hand-crafted jewellery displayed in pink boxes. The raffle continued the pink theme with prizes including pink champagne, pink toiletries, a hot water bottle with pink knitted cover and a pink umbrella, amongst others.

The event was attended by many of Boughton Hall's residents and their guests, raising a total of £130 for the charity.

Second Award for Boughton Hall

Boughton Hall has been highly commended by the judges of the Best Retirement Development category of the prestigious UK Property Awards 2011. The contest is one of the most important on the property calendar with winners receiving national, and international, recognition.

Boughton Hall has already scooped gold in a national award ceremony. It was named Best UK Housing With Care Scheme of its size at the National Housing for Older People Awards, run by the Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) earlier this year.

All winners of the UK Property Awards were announced at a glittering ceremony at The Lancaster London on 28th October.

Neil Davison of Enterprise Retirement Living said: "We were thrilled to reach the final of the UK Property Awards and gratified to be highly commended. When we started work on the conversion of Boughton Hall into a retirement village, our aim was to provide our residents with beautiful homes, varied social facilities and the option to live the life they choose in comfort and luxury. Reaching the finals of the UK Property Awards, and receiving the judges' commendation, is testament to the fact that that's what we've delivered."

Cookery Demonstration raises funds for Cancer Research UK

Boughton Hall hosted another Pampered Chef show on Friday, 7th October. Angela Huntriss, who is a Pampered Chef consultant, prepared some mini goats cheese tartlets and waffle berry pudding, which the ten-strong audience were able to sample. There was also the opportunity to purchase kitchenware and cookery equiment from Pampered Chef's extensive range.

Pampered Chef has teamed up with Cancer Research UK's Help Whip Cancer campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer and, since the campaign's launch in 2007, the company's consultants and customers have contributed more than £300,000 to the charity's funds.

To further this worthwhile cause, a small charge was made for attendance and the Pink Fizz that was served in pink rose-adorned champagne glasses, along with a pink non-alcoholic fruit purch, pink cupcakes and smoked salmon canapés. A percentage of the sales of kitchen goods at the event and £1 from each sale of some exclusive pink products also went into the pot, which will be further boosted by donations and a raffle being held at the forthcoming Coffee Morning on 29th October.

Boughton Hall ladies reveal their true colours!

On Wednesday, 14th September, Colour Me Beautiful visited Boughton Hall to give a demonstration. Ruth, one of the company's trained consultants and a professional beauty therapist, showed how the the use of certain colours can totally change one's look or image and Angela Cattell, who lives at Boughton Hall, had a complete make-over.

Colour Me Beautiful was established in 1983 and are now the recognised leaders in personal and corporate image consulting. Over a million women and men have turned to them for advice on how to achieve the image they really deserve. Their consultants help people of all shapes, sizes, ages and colourings to understand why certain colours and styles suit them whilst others don't, and give expert advice so individuals can develop their own personal style.

23 eager ladies - residents of Boughton Hall, their friends and other guests - enjoyed the afternoon immensely and stayed chatting long after the demonstration had ended. Light refreshments were served and a free raffle for a £50 Colour Me Beautiful consultation, donated by the company, was won by Boughton Hall resident Dorothy Avery.

Second Successful Annual Fête

Sunday, 11th September, saw Boughton Hall hosting its second annual fête in the grounds. The weather, which had threatened to put a damper (literally) on proceedings, was kind and the afternoon stayed dry and fine.

The event was opened by local MP Stephen Mosley - pictured with Samantha Howarth of Barnardo's (left) and June Callaghan, General Manager of Boughton Hall (right) - and some 440 people joined in the fun of the afternoon. There was something for everyone with stalls that included Tombola, Bric-a-Brac, Books/CDs/DVDs, Home Produce, Name the Barnardo's Bear, Coconut Shy, Children's Face Painting, and many more.

Refreshments, including the "Boughton Burger" and cream teas, were available throughout and a guitarist provided some musical entertainment in the Garden Room Restaurant. The afternoon culminated in the Grand Raffle, for which over 40 prizes, donated by local businesses and associates of Boughton Hall, were on offer. The first prize was a weekend for two at Carden Park.

A total of approximately £1,400 was raised for Barnardo's, which used to own a children's home on the site of Boughton Hall.

The developers and the management and staff of Boughton Hall would like to thank everyone involved in organising and running the fête for all their hard work. They would also like to thank all the local businesses and associates who generously donated prizes, and, finally, all the residents of Boughton Hall, their friends and families, and the wider local community, for their support of the event.

Chester Amateur Photographic Society

Roger Brace of Chester Amateur Photographic Society visited Boughton Hall on Thursday, 11th August, to share some of his expertise in photography and covered the following areas:

• What do we like to photograph?
• What cameras do we use?
• What do we do with the images (prints, photo frame, screen saver, DVD)?
• Sharing our pictures (email, flickr, Facebook)
• Digital darkroom - enhacing images using computer software
• Steps towards better pictures
• Common problems
• Photography as an outlet for your artistic talent

Fifteen Boughton Hall residents and other guests attended the presentation on this fascinating and popular hobby. The afternoon concluded with time to chat and ask questions over light refreshments.

Retirement Seminar

A Retirement Seminar was held on Tuesday 19th July from 2pm to 4pm, at which various speakers provided a range of advice and information on issues that affect many people in later life.

HBFS Equity Release Limited - specialist financial advisors to the retiree - talked about State benefits and financial options available in retirement, whilst Bloomsbury Home Care outlined the support and assistance they can provide for older people living in their own homes. The free Will review offered by McKenzie Jones Solicitors proved to be a useful service for a number of the audience.

Light refreshments were served during what was both an enjoyable and educational afternoon for the Boughton Hall apartment owners and guests who attended.

Pimms in the Library!!

Unfortunately, the distinctly un-summery weather on Saturday, 16th July, forced our Pimms on the Patio to be relocated to the Library! Nevertheless, approximately twenty Boughton Hall apartment owners and other guests spent a pleasurable afternoon socialising and chatting, and enjoying the live music supplied by John Chatterton - a local artiste - who played some beautiful acoustic guitar pieces.

To go with the Pimms, a selection of delicious canapés was served, including smoked salmon, avocado and prawn bruschetta, mini Welsh rarebit muffins, mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes, vichyssoise, meringues, and chocolate-coated strawberries.

For details of other social events at Boughton Hall, visit the events section of the website.

An Insight into the Gardens at Boughton Hall

On a lovely dry June evening, around fifteen resident owners and other guests learned about Boughton Hall's beautiful gardens. John Burgess from Environmental Associates, the company who planned and project-managed the landscaping, commenced by showing the interested audience the original plans and planting schedule of Phase I of the Boughton Hall development, now complete, and projected views of Phase II of the gardens. He also explained Environmental Associates' history, other UK projects they have undertaken and some of their beautiful work in the Caribbean.

After viewing the plans, the assembled group navigated the gardens with John explaining which plants were which, identifying their Latin names, and giving an idea of how they will appear when they are further established. The evening was rounded off in the stunning Garden Room Restaurant with wine and canapés and more informal discussion about the grounds and gardens.

John kindly left the plans with Boughton Hall's management and they will be kept in an artist-type portfolio for everyone to see in the future.

Boughton Hall's residents and management would like to thank John for giving his time and sharing his expertise during a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Strawberries & Cream Tea

What better way to spend a summer afternoon than relaxing in beautiful surroundings, enjoying that quintessential English treat - strawberries and cream? That's exactly what some 40 Boughton Hall resident owners and guests did on a gloriously warm day on 14th June, gathered on the patio behind Boughton Hall's restaurant with the sunshades up.

The traditional bowls of strawberries and cream were accompanied by some amazing strawberry cup cakes, fresh cream scones and a giant Victoria sandwich made by Nicola Crawley, one of the Duty Managers. A good time was had by all and not a crumb or a berry was left!

Cookery Demonstration

Boughton Hall hosted a Pampered Chef show on Friday, 3rd June. Angela Huntriss, who is a Pampered Chef consultant, prepared two dishes - one savoury and one sweet - with help from the audience, who were then able to sample the fare. There was also the opportunity to purchase kitchenware and cookery equiment from Pampered Chef's extensive range.

A small charge for attendance was made to raise funds for Barnardo's, who also received the proceeds of raffling a Pampered Chef product donated by the company and a 10% commission on all sales of kitchen goods. The total amount raised has yet to be confirmed.

A similar event is being held on Friday, 7th October, when Pampered Chef will have some pink products available, £1 from each sale of which will go to Cancer Research UK.

First Craft Fair a Success

Boughton Hall hosted its first Craft Fair on Saturday, 14th May, with a variety of stalls including jewellery, glass-making, walking stick carving, patchwork quilting, silk wall hangings, greetings cards, portrait artist, Christmas decorations, and local produce. The event was well attended by resident owners, their families and friends, and other visitors.

The success of the venture means it is likely to become an annual event.

Talk by VSO Africa

The third in our series of afternoon talks took place on Friday, 6th May, when Margaret Pridding of Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Africa provided an insight into the charity's work.

VSO is the world’s leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Their high-impact approach involves bringing people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action, and change lives to make the world a fairer place for all.

Margaret started by outlining to the 20-strong audience how she came to be involved with VSO - she was encouraged by her son to become a volunteer when she expressed a desire to spend some time in South Africa following her retirement. A slide show of photos taken when Margaret took part in a project in South Africa followed. The images included colourful local street markets, a Zulu tribe Margaret visited, a traditional wedding procession, a Sangoma (healer), a local school, to which many of the children have to walk miles to attend, and a co-operative where the women weave their own cloth and make clothes to sell.

The afternoon was rounded off with home-made cakes and tea.

Check our events section regularly for details of future afternoon talks during the year.

Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, 23rd April, dawned bright and sunny and provided a perfect day for our Easter Egg Hunt. Well attended by residents, their friends and families, and other visitors, great fun was had by all.

A raffle held in aid of Barnardo's raised £200 and the first prize of a hamper went to young Ross Atkinson, who gave it to his mummy! The champagne second prize was won by Hanna Asanger, a local neighbour who brought her two young daughters to the hunt. Most of the other prizes of wine, chocolates, an Easter Bunny soft toy and Jamie Oliver's Jamie's 30 Minute Meals went to lucky Boughton Hall residents.

Mothers' Day Pampering

The second of our Mother & Daughter Pamper Days was held on 2nd April, just before Mothers' Day. The event was another success, with several mums and daughters enjoying a complimentary manicure, or foot reflexology which was also on offer this time.

Keep an eye on the forthcoming events section for dates of future pamper days.

Pancakes, Presentations and Posies

Tuesday, 8th March 2011, was a special day at Boughton Hall. Not only was it Pancake Day, it was also full of surprises.

Boughton Hall's chef John Crawley surpassed himself by creating some fabulous savoury pancakes with various fillings, including duck salad, cheese, leek, and ham. The customary sweet pancakes, served with lemon and sugar (or home-made chocolate sauce), were also available, but the pièce de résistance was a pancake stack stuffed with cream and fresh fruit.

Around 40 people tucked into this delicious fare and raised £110 for Barnardo's.

During the proceedings, Neil Davison of Enterprise Retirement Living and Jim Pegg of Barnardo Developments presented a certificate and cheque for £250 to June Callaghan, General Manager at Boughton Hall. The certificate represented the gold award Boughton Hall recently won for the Best UK Scheme 60-99 Units in the EAC Housing-with-Care Awards (see separate news item below).

The £250, which was the prize accompanying the award, will be used to fund an event or outing for the resident owners of Boughton Hall, whose responses to questionnaires about their retirement village resulted in the award being won.

Mary Lunt, an apartment owner at Boughton Hall who co-ordinated the award entry questionnaires, was presented with a bouquet of flowers.

Flowers also went to Angela Cattell, another apartment owner, who stars in the video recently added to this website, which is also available on DVD.

Talk Given by Age UK and Local Solicitors, Oliver & Co

At this, the second in our planned series of talks by a variety of guest speakers, Age UK (previously Age Concern and Help the Aged) provided the audience with information about this national charity and the vital direct services it provides to people in later life.

Then solicitors Oliver & Co explained the Lifetime Power of Attorney, a legal mechanism to safeguard the conduct of one's affairs in the event of unforeseen illness or incapacity.

The event was very well attended by existing owners at Boughton Hall and other guests, whose useful and informative afternoon was rounded off with tea and cakes and the chance to chat to each other and representatives of Age UK and Oliver & Co.

Please revisit this website regularly to find out dates and themes of further talks.

Boughton Hall Wins Gold!

Boughton Hall has scooped a gold award at a national award ceremony recognising the best in retirement living. Run by the Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC), a national charity which aims to help older people make informed choices about housing and care needs, the EAC National Housing for Older People Awards recognise specialist housing schemes which are the best in their field. The awards differ from many others in that entrants are nominated by residents of retirement villages and homes nationwide, who score their community in a number of areas, including the standard of facilities and the services received. The award to Boughton Hall was made in the Best UK Housing-with-Care Scheme 60-99 Units category.

Boughton Hall's prize-winner testimonial said: "Boughton Hall offers an independent, elegant lifestyle ... Owners make life as relaxed or active as they want ..."

At a gala event held at Ascot on 3rd February, BBC News anchorman Nicholas Owen presented a certificate marking the win to Neil Davison, managing director of Enterprise Retirement Living. Neil said: "We are delighted to have received this accolade from an organisation that works so hard to help raise the standards of housing for older paople. When designing Boughton Hall, our aim was to provide our owners with beautiful homes and the security of a community with ongoing support when they needed it. To have received this award is testament to the fact that we have delivered on that promise."

A prize of £250 was also awarded, which Boughton Hall intends to use to hold a little celebration for the owners at Boughton Hall by way of a thank-you.

First Afternoon Talk a Resounding Success

The first of a planned series of talks by a variety of guest speakers was held on Wednesday, 2nd February.

The audience was introduced to the work of the U3A by Chairman Jenny Carley and committee member Sheila Young, and the vast spectrum of interest groups that members can join. U3A stands for the University of the Third Age, which is a self-help organisation for people no longer in full-time employment providing educational, creative and leisure opportunities in a friendly environment. It comprises local U3As all over the country, which are run entirely by volunteers, and which draw upon the knowledge, experience and skills of their own members to organise and provide the various subject groups in accordance with the wishes of the membership.

Many thanks to the U3A for taking the time to come and introduce their organisation to us.

Meet the Team

The staff at Boughton Hall are on hand to ensure the smooth running of Boughton Hall and to help the residents in any way they can. They are always ready to welcome visitors to the village - call 01244 322785 - and would be happy to show you round the properties and facillities available.

Pictured left to right are: (back row) Alan Griffiths, John Crawley, Bob Jones; (middle row) Julie Harris, Kath Roberts, Katie Jones, Dee Hall, Sharon Hindley; (front row) Lyndsay Hinchliffe, Nicola Crawley, June Callaghan, Sam Evans.

Pamper Perfect

We held the first of our Mother & Daughter Pamper Days on 27th January and it was a huge success. Several ladies of both generations took advantage of a relaxing complimentary manicure and hand massage, and enjoyed Bucks Fizz and brunch. For details of further similar events, please look at the forthcoming events section of this website.

Burns' Night Celebrations

A three course table d’hôte menu, featuring the traditional dishes, was served to residents and guests to celebrate the Scottish poet's birthday on Tuesday, 25th January. The meal was followed by a light-hearted "old photograph" quiz in the lounge.

Festive Season Round-Up

Christmas and New Year at Boughton Hall were full of enjoyment for the residents, their families and staff alike. Christmas Day was very relaxed and started at 12:30 with aperitifs in the lounge bar, followed by a delicious four-course traditional meal in the Garden Room Restaurant. An afternoon of board games and sharing amusing anecdotes followed, with homemade Christmas cake for anyone who started to get hungry again!

A buffet was served on Boxing Day, after which everyone settled down in the comfortable reception area to watch a film together.

On New Year's Eve, duty manager Nicola Crawley hosted an evening of bubbles and canapés for residents and their guests, with a sparkling Prosecco served at midnight to see Boughton Hall into the New Year in style. The last of the party-goers were in bed by 1:30am and a thoroughly good time was had by all.

No doubt attracted by all the excitement, a mysterious temporary guest (pictured) moved in and stayed for the entire holiday period ... then he just disappeared without trace and didn't even say goodbye!

Chester MP gives Boughton Hall stamp of approval

Chester MP Stephen Mosley has praised the ‘excellent facilities and friendly atmosphere’ at Boughton Hall. Mr Mosley made the comments during a visit on Friday, 10 December, when he chatted to staff, took a tour of the four acre village and enjoyed afternoon tea with the residents.

“It was a pleasure to visit Boughton Hall and witness for myself the excellent facilities on offer and friendly atmosphere within,” said Mr Mosley. “Seeing it at work really brings the retirement village concept to life, and it was immediately obvious the benefits it brings to its residents and society alike.”

Mr Mosley also spent time discussing local political matters with residents – his constituents – and said he hoped to return in the future.

Boughton Hall is in the heart of Mr Mosley’s constituency and represents the kind of continuing care retirement community (CCRC) which successive governments have been keen to see develop – enabling residents to remain in their own homes with support and care available when needed.

Mr Mosley was a guest of Boughton Hall’s developers Barnardo Developments and Enterprise Retirement Living. 

Enterprise Retirement Living managing director Neil Davison said: “We appreciated the opportunity to explain to Mr Mosley the concept of retirement villages as one of the solutions to the changing demographic profile of the UK. Boughton Hall, and other developments like it, offer independence in a community of like-minded people seeking security, companionship and choice.”

Black Tie Dinner

Residents and guests enjoyed a black tie candlelit dinner which was held on Thursday, 2nd December, in our stunning Garden Room Restaurant. With the Christmas lights and decorations already in situ, a delicious dinner and musical entertainment provided by a live pianist, this event put everyone in the festive mood.

Deck the Halls!

Christmas officially came to Boughton Hall when the tree and decorations went up on Monday, 22nd November. Call us on 012444 322785 to take the opportunity to visit the Hall in all its festive glory.

A Winter Warmer

On 9th November, a number of residents and guests gathered in The Garden Room Restaurant for a very pleasant and sociable afternoon, sharing news and views and warming up for winter and the forthcoming festive season with some mulled wine and nibbles.

Retirement Living Open Day Well Attended

On Monday, 11th October, Boughton Hall opened its doors to potential new residents with an event designed to show the benefits of living at Boughton Hall, and how simple and worry-free the process can be.

A variety of professionals, including the developers, Hamro plc (through whom part-exchange is available), Boughton Hall’s management, financial advisers, solicitors, our preferred removal company and a popular interior designer (who has already transformed the communal areas and helped several residents furnish their own properties), talked to guests about their relevant areas of expertise and answered their questions.

A buffet lunch was served, making this informative and helpful forum a relaxed and sociable occasion enjoyed by all those attending.

For more information about Boughton Hall, part-exchanging your own property, or the services of any of our associates, please call us on 01244 322785.

Annual Fête

On Sunday,  12th September 2010, over 470 people enjoyed the first Annual Fête at Boughton Hall on what, thankfully, turned out to be a breezy but sunny afternoon. The event was opened by Becky Bainbridge, Barnardo’s Regional Community Fundraising Manager, and two recently reunited ex-Barnardo boys (see article below). A total of £1,500 was raised for Barnardo’s, thanks to the hard work of General Manager June Callaghan, Boughton Hall’s Duty Managers and Sales Team, numerous volunteers, and the generosity of many associated companies and local businesses who donated prizes.

First prize of more than 30 in total in the raffle – dinner, bed and breakfast at Carden Park – was won by Richard Whitehurst. Other stalls and attractions included: books, tombola, local produce, portrait painter, hook-a-duck, lollipop lottery and, always a children’s favourite, face-painting.

On behalf of the Friends of Boughton Hall and Barnardo’s, we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated a prize and/or gave their time in support of this worthwhile cause. Thanks too, of course, to everyone who came along to participate in the afternoon, without whom the event would not have been the undoubted success it was.

Diamond Celebration

Boughton Hall residents Olive and Arthur Gould celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary with a lunch in the Garden Restaurant on Thursday, 9th September. A total of 22 family and friends gathered for the occasion and to watch them cut the cake, made by Duty Manager Nicola Crawley and well-doused with brandy over several weeks!

Olive and Arthur received a very special missive - a telegram from the Queen - and, in his speech, Arthur spoke of a marriage that had endured 60 years of life's ups and downs.

Everyone at Boughton Hall offers their congratulations to the happy couple on what is a momentous achievement.

Residents' Vegetable Garden

Boughton Hall now has its own vegetable garden, comprising three raised beds in a fenced-in area, which gets full sunlight in the middle of the day. There is also a shed for tools, water butt and composter, providing everything needed for any keen gardeners amongst the residents.

Some part-time assistance is being arranged to help maintain the garden and the residents are in the course of deciding what to grow. Herbs, fruit bushes and asparagus beds are just some of the ideas being considered, as well as sweet peas and winter lettuce.

History Group Reunites Barnardo's Old Boys

A new group established to research the history of Boughton Hall resulted in two of its former residents being reunited after more than half a century. John Smurthwaite and Klaus Armstrong-Braun both lived at Boughton Hall in the 1950s, when it was a children’s home run by Barnardo’s, and became very good friends.

Mr Smurthwaite spotted an advertisement for Boughton Hall as a new retirement community and, after telephoning the sales staff, was invited to visit. When Klaus Armstrong-Braun also visited Boughton Hall from his home just a few miles away, staff mentioned John Smurthwaite. Their unusual names meant they each recognised the other’s immediately, and they were invited to stage their reunion at the inaugural meeting of the History Group set up by the new residents of Boughton Hall.

John left Boughton Hall when he was 11 and was fostered by a couple in Birkenhead, where he still lives. Klaus remained at the home until he was 16 and went on to build a successful career, first as a professional engineer and then as an environmental scientist. Both have nothing but happy memories of their time at Barnardo’s, which they were able to share with each other – over 50 years on – and the assembled founding members of the History Group.

The History Group meets at Boughton Hall once a month and is keen to hear from anyone else who has lived or worked at Boughton Hall over the years. Boughton Hall can be contacted on 01244 322785.

Pimm's on the Patio

The weather was moderately kind to us on the afternoon of Saturday, 19th June, when nearly 30 people gathered at Boughton Hall for a glass of Pimm's and nibbles on the patio, or, for those who felt the breeze more keenly, in the beautiful Garden Room Restaurant. A game of croquet - with the brand new mallets and hoopes just acquired - was enjoyed by Boughton Hall residents, Mr and Mrs Moore.

Coffee Morning Raises Money for Barnardo's

A coffee morning held at Boughton Hall on Saturday, 15th May, raised £252 for Barnardo's. There was a lovely selection of biscuits and cakes on offer for sale, and a number of fabulous prizes were raffled. The event was well attended and enjoyed by everyone involved.

Wine Tasting Evening

On Thursday 13th May, Boughton Hall hosted a wine tasting evening. The selection of wines available to taste ranged from everyday drinking to fine wines and came from all parts of the wine producing world.

The event was open to both residents and guests; if you didn't attend, but would be interested in coming to any similar events, please call us on 01244 322785.

Easter Open Day

On Easter Saturday, 3rd April, we welcomed a number of visitors to Boughton Hall and shared with them a variety of complimentary refreshments, including hot cross buns.

April also saw the release of a range of new incentives. If you weren't able to make the open day or are interested in finding out about any current offers, please call the sales team on 01244 322785.

Open Weekend

A general open weekend was held on 20th and 21st March, during which visitors had the opportunity to view The Hall, Eaton and Tatton.

Visitors also had the opportunity to take advantage of the offer available at that time - one year's free service charge for reservations agreed before 31st March. Please call our sales office on 01244 322785 for details of any current offers.

Mother's Day

To celebrate Mother's Day, we hosted afternoon tea at Boughton Hall on Saturday, 13th March. Several mothers and their families joined us for what was a very pleasant and enjoyable occasion.

And the winner is ...

In December 2009, we launched a competition to find a title for the Boughton Hall newsletter. It now has a name thanks to Mr Wisbey from Chester, whose entry, The Boughton Beacon, was the winner. Mr Wisbey attended one of our regular monthly lunches and was presented with a bottle of Champagne for his efforts.

Friends and Family Weekend

We realise how important friends and family are when making the decision to move, which is why the weekend of 7th and 8th November was dedicated to our potential residents and their loved ones. Further such weekends will be held over the course of time, but please bring friends and family at any time; they will always be made welcome.

Official Launch Weekend

Our official launch, held over the weekend of 26th and 27th September 2009, was a huge success. There was a superb turnout and the feedback received from all the visitors on the communal facilities and apartments was fantastic.

His Worship the Deputy Lord Mayor of Chester Councillor Neil Richie marked the occasion by planting a tree in the grounds. Visitors were given a tour of the newly opened facilities and then invited to the Garden Room Restaurant for refreshments.

If you didn't join us and would like to see the facilities and properties available, please call the Sales Office on 01244 322785.