After over five years of planning and preparation our intergenerational nursery is set to open on July 18th. Have a read of the official press release!
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 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, library 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 and nursery, presentation and refreshments will take place on Tuesday 5th July and Friday 8th July, beginning at 10am and 2pm on both days. Drop-in days will also be held on 16th, 20th, 25th and 30th July.
