Aspen Gardens, a £6m Extra Care Scheme for over 55s, celebrates 10th Anniversary.
This successful development, built and managed by North Star Housing Group, opened in April 2007, offering residents the opportunity to live independently within their own home, whilst having the support and care facilities they may need to access, on-site, 24 hours a day.
Geoff Barnet, 66, a retired Joiner, was the first resident to move into North Star’s extra care development in Hardwick, Stockton back in 2007. “I’m very proud to call Aspen my home! I feel very safe here and I have made some lovely friends who I spend a lot of time with. We sometimes play dominoes and listen to music. I can’t quite believe it’s been ten years already, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Allison Alderton, Team Manager of Older Persons’ Services at North Star said: “Aspen Gardens brought a vital type of housing to Stockton, and ten years on it’s incredible to see the positive difference we have made to peoples’ lives.
“Living at Aspen Gardens doesn’t just give people independence and reassurance, it gives people an extended family – there’s a real community here and the residents get involved in all sorts of social activities together. We have both residents and staff that have been with us since the day we opened, which just shows that Aspen is a fantastic place to both live and work. We hope to be able to continue to deliver such vital housing across the North East for the next ten years and beyond.”
Joan Collins, 66, recently moved into the extra care scheme and it has given her a new lease of life. “I absolutely love living at Aspen. When I lived at another place I often didn’t want to get out of bed, there wasn’t anything to get up for. But here, it’s totally different, I have made great friends and we get together regularly to listen to music and play games. It’s great because we have a bistro as well, I really enjoy the meals from there and all of the staff are so friendly and helpful.”
