Churchill Retirement Living Lodges celebrate Friendship Month

Churchill Retirement Living celebrates Friendship month by encouraging older people to leave loneliness behind.

The retirment housing firm aims to help older people make new friends at its Lodges in Chippenham and Malmesbury, where a £20 Café Nero or Costa voucher is on offer to every new visitor who takes a tour by 17 December.

The move comes as new research shows that a quarter of older people would like to make a new pool of friends but have no idea where to start.

A survey of 1,000 people aged 65 and over revealed 30 per cent thought they had lost the art of small talk as they got older. Almost half - 45 per cent - didn't feel they spent enough time socialising.

Overall, a third of older people admitted they had experienced loneliness – a feeling which can cause the decline of both physical and mental health.

The research was revealed by Churchill Retirement Living as part of its Friendship Month, during which it is encouraging people to tour its developments and see the social element of independent living.

Churchill’s Senior Marketing Manager, Caroline Haswell said: “At Churchill we understand the importance of friendship as well as independence, so we have created Friendship Month - a time to celebrate the benefits of friendship and support that come with a new apartment at one of our local Lodges.

"It’s an ideal time for people to come and see the lifestyle on offer here and we’re even giving a free voucher to new visitors so they can enjoy a coffee and a catch-up with a friend on us.”

Churchill Lodges each comprise a stylish collection of one and two bedroom privately-owned retirement apartments available to buy now. Each apartment has been designed exclusively for those in their retirement years and has a number of safety and security features, such as a 24 hour emergency call line and a video entry system for complete peace of mind.

To find out more call 0800 458 1857 or visit churchillretirement.co.uk