Pioneering intergenerational care village set to open in Chester

July 18th has been announced as the long-awaited opening date of the new Chester care village by the not-for-profit organisation Belong, internationally acclaimed for its track record in transforming settings and support for people with dementia.

In a first for Belong, the Chester village will be home to a fully integrated children’s day nursery, creating extensive opportunities for intergenerational experiences – something which is already an important feature of life in Belong villages.

Located on City Road, just a few minutes' walk from the railway station and enjoying views of the historic canal, the £21 million state-of-the-art development will offer a mix of independent living apartments and households where 24-hour support, including dementia and nursing care, is provided. Belong’s award-winning home care service, Belong at Home, will also operate from the site. All customers, as well as members of the public, will enjoy access to a vibrant village centre with a range of facilities including a bistro, specialist gym, hair salon, therapy room and entertainment venue with licensed bar.

Belong Chief Executive, Martin Rix, said: “The beauty of the village model is that we are able to offer a range of spaces and experiences, and give people the choice to join in as much or as little of village life as they choose. This is crucial in ensuring residents continue to feel connected and integrated within society, and we are particularly excited that Belong Chester will have this very special and new element for us, which is the integration of a children’s nursery.”

The 25-place Nursery in Belong will provide a high-quality care and learning environment for children from birth to five years, six days a week. It will be operated by national charity, Ready Generations, and village and nursery teams will work closely together to create a truly shared environment where children and older people can learn together and build an active, intentional and collaborative community that includes every generation.

Sue Egersdorff, founder of Ready Generations, added: “We are very excited to bring children and young families into the Belong village model. Children and older people are intuitively playful together and can bring so much joy to each other’s lives.”

Bookable preview day events, including a tour of the village, presentation and refreshments will take place on Tuesday 5^th July and Friday 8^th July, beginning at 10am and 2pm on both days. Drop-in days will also be held on 16^th, 20^th, 25^th and 30^th July.

As part of the organisation’s ongoing recruitment drive, career opportunities are available at the village, including qualified and trainee support worker roles. Catering, housekeeping and reception/administration positions are also open for application.

Preview day events or personal tours can be booked by contacting:

enquiries@belong.org.uk

...or by calling:

01244 470570

About Belong Villages

Belong Limited is a charitable organisation, operating villages with a range of care, housing and support options for older people, as well as extensive amenities in the village centre. These include bistro, hair salon, specialist exercise studio and function rooms. People can choose to live independently in a Belong apartment or within a supported 24-hour care environment.

Belong specialises in supporting people with dementia, and 24-hour care is provided in extended family-sized households, with modern open plan layouts specially designed around the needs of people with dementia. All employees working in Belong villages are trained in dementia awareness, from domestic assistants through to bistro staff. The organisation is also a registered domiciliary provider and can support people in their own home, through its Belong at Home service.

There are seven Belong villages in Atherton, Crewe, Didsbury, Macclesfield, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Wigan and Warrington, with two more under construction in Birkdale and Wirral. Belong Chester is set to open in July 2022. For more information, see:

www.belong.org.uk