The first retirement village to be developed by Oakbridge Retirement Villages LLP – a joint venture between the Hull-based HICA Group and the Caddick Group in Wetherby – has been judged the best care village in the UK.
Buckshaw Retirement Village, near Chorley in Lancashire, beat two other retirement villages in the national finals of the prestigious Pinders Healthcare Design Awards.
The news came within days of Health Secretary Alan Johnson carrying out the official opening of the £45 million retirement village.
Representatives of Oakbridge Retirement Villages and its architects, DLA Freeman White, collected the award at a luncheon and presentation held at Lords cricket ground in London.
Jon Chapman, a Director of Pinders, said: “All three villages which reached the finals were very good but the judges felt that Buckshaw Retirement Village stood out significantly from the others. The concept and layout of the village works extremely well and is very impressive.”
Oakbridge Sales and Marketing Director Irene Heffernan said: “We are all delighted to have been judged the best care village in the UK. This is testimony to the hard work of all the people involved in planning, developing and operating the retirement village and it also highlights the quality and innovative nature of the development. Buckshaw Retirement Village is pointing the way forward in terms of providing the best possible lifestyle choices and care for older people.”
As winners of the Pinders award, Buckshaw received a £1500 prize for its nominated charity, the Alzheimer’s Society. The Society also received £500 for Buckshaw reaching the national finals.
Oakbridge Sales and Marketing Director Irene Heffernan is pictured with the Pinders Best Care Village award, with other members of the development and design team and former England cricket captain Mike Gatting.