Swindon schoolchildren have been busy putting pen to paper for a short story competition judged by Mayor of Swindon, Councillor Garry Perkins.
Tasked with creating a short story on the theme of ‘Local Heroes’, pupils from Lethbridge Primary School created imaginative short stories for a competition organised by the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, McCarthy Stone.
McCarthy Stone are behind the Gilbert Place Retirement Living Plus development in Swindon.
The pupils, aged between 4 - 11, penned their creative tales to be in with the chance of winning a book voucher and special mention from Cllr Perkins.
Verity McKay, Divisional Marketing Manager at McCarthy Stone Southern, said: “As a company, we appreciate that our responsibility is not only to build quality, purpose-built retirement properties, but also to create a positive legacy in the communities in which we build. Thank you to Lethbridge Primary School for taking part and well done to the children for writing so imaginatively and creatively. We also want to thank Councillor Perkins for taking the time to read the stories and choose the worthy winners.”
Imogen from Year Six took the winning title and top prize with her story ‘The Swindon Saviour’ - a tale about Jacob and his new best friend Coco.
In second and third place was Kinjal Chandra in Year Three whose story was set in Town Gardens, and Muni in Year 6 who penned ‘The Great Train Robbery’. The young authors won £40, £30, and £20 vouchers for their creative thinking and inspired writing.
Cllr Perkins also gave a commendation to the youngest entrant, Edmund Adams in Year One, for what he described as a well thought out and imaginative piece. He was then awarded £20 in book vouchers by Lethbridge Primary School for his special mention.
In addition, McCarthy Stone donated £250 to Lethbridge Primary School for taking part in the short story competition.
Lisa Mayes, Headteacher at Lethbridge Primary School, said: “The pupils who took part in the short story competition really enjoyed the creative challenge and we were very impressed with the range of stories that were submitted across the year groups based on the theme. Congratulations to the deserving winners and our thanks go to McCarthy Stone for its generous donation, and for giving us the opportunity to be involved in another exciting initiative.”
When complete, McCarthy Stone's Gilbert Place will comprise of a host of one and two-bedroom apartments for the over 70s, with the first occupants expected in early 2022.
Future homeowners at the Gilbert Place Retirement Living Plus development will have access to a welcoming communal lounge for socialising with new neighbours, landscaped gardens maintained by McCarthy Stone’s team, and a guest suite for when family and friends come to stay.
For those who may require a little additional help, Gilbert Place will also have an on-site Estate Manager and an experienced team will be on hand day and night to oversee the running of the development, and to provide tailored domestic support packages to suit individual needs.
The development will also feature its own bistro style restaurant serving freshly prepared meals every day, while secure entry systems and 24-hour emergency call points will help provide added peace-of-mind.
Prices at Gilbert Place currently start from £240,000 for a one-bedroom apartment and £325,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. Rental and part-buy, part-rent options are also available.
The housing developer says more than 9 out of 10 customers would recommend McCarthy Stone to a friend, ensuring it has received the full Five Star award for customer satisfaction from the Home Builders Federation for 16 years running.
McCarthy Stone prides itself upon being the only UK housebuilder of any size or type to achieve this accolade for 16 consecutive years - which is every year the awards have been run.
McCarthy Stone also received the Housebuilder Special Recognition Award 2020 for working hard to protect its customers – covid-19 infection rates among homeowners are significantly below the national rate of infection across all age groups – and for innovation in the retirement sector.
To secure a space at the sales launch event for Gilbert Place, members of the public can call 0800 310 0383.
More information about McCarthy Stone and Retirement Living Plus in Swindon can be found by calling on the number above or visiting www.mccarthystone.co.uk/gilbert-place.
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