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Muriel Wakelin aged 95, has lived at Richmond Villages Bede for thirty years. During this time, she has continued to enjoy her passion for gardening, winning awards for her talent.

Originally from Nuneaton, Muriel and her husband, Jeff wanted to remain close to their daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Initially hearing about the village from her son-in-law, the couple took the leap and moved to the luxury retirement village in 1992.

Nature and gardening have always been a passion of Muriel’s, and the beautiful surroundings and award-winning gardens of Richmond Villages Bede proved the perfect setting for the couple to enjoy their next chapter together.

Muriel continued to garden after moving to the village and over the years has won numerous awards for her transformative work to the garden at the front of the couple’s bungalow, receiving multiple 1st and 2nd place awards beating off competition from across the Nuneaton and Bedworth area. 

Muriel comments: “My bungalow faces the orchard, and my kitchen window overlooks the fishpond, so it’s fantastic to be surrounded by so much beauty. When myself and my husband first moved to the village, we had a holiday booked, and I remember thinking, ‘I wish we didn’t have this holiday booked, I want to stay here, I love it here.’ I’m thrilled that I’ve been able to continue my passion for gardening at the village, and it really is the icing on the cake to have won awards for what I enjoy doing most.”

Despite her husband sadly passing four years ago, the independence the village offers its residents continues to be another aspect Muriel loves about the village. Attending exercise classes prior to moving to the village, Muriel was thrilled she was able to continue these and has even expanded her list of hobbies and joined a host of craft, painting, card making, and poetry classes on offer at the village.

Reminiscing about her time living at the village, Muriel said: “I absolutely love living here at Richmond Villages Bede. Not only are the surroundings stunning, but there’s so much on offer for me to get involved in, plenty of fun external trips, and everyone at the village is so friendly. I’m friends with all my neighbours and enjoy socialising with other residents around the village – there’s a real community feel and spirit around here. I would urge anyone considering a move to the village to take the plunge, you won’t regret it. I’ve lived here for thirty years and am still finding that there’s so much to do!”

Richmond Villages Bede offers a range of retirement accommodation from apartments and suites to a residential care home, all of which are tailored to the individual needs of each resident.