When a summer heatwave in Heathcote destroyed their garden and fruit trees, Alice, 74 and her friend, Rosemary, 56 decided they wanted to relocate somewhere cooler.

After looking at several locations, they are now the first residents of McAuley Retirement Village in Trentham. As a sign that they had made the right move, in their first week of living at McAuley, Alice and Rosemary experienced snow!

With Trentham still located close to their Heathcote roots, both loved the feel of the town and the picturesque location immediately.

“We love the town,” said Alice. “It’s lovely. We’ve already met a lot of people, and there are lots of activities.

“We’re going to join the golf club, the activities club, and the arts group. It’s such a great spot, you can walk everywhere. There’s a Medical Centre, as well as cafes and restaurants. It’s a real advantage to be close to the centre of town.”

After maintaining a quarter of an acre block in Heathcote, Alice and Rosemary are relieved to have downsized, with the maintenance of the unit limited to a small garden in the back and front yards. They also love the courtyard out the front.

“It’s spacious and open, and makes it like a real little village square, it’s perfect. The garden is manageable and is one less thing we to worry about. We also have less housework to do now that we’ve downsized.”

Alice and Rosemary were also able to bring their two Labradoodles with them, which are part of their family. Being the first to move in, they were able to settle the dogs in, and ensure they’re all happy and comfortable in their new home.

“We’re rapt, we love it. It’s perfect.

“We’re so happy we made the move, it’s 10 out of 10!”