In recognition of the outstanding contributions made by the Friends of Rookery Park group to the local community, the McCarthy Stone Foundation has donated £500 to support the transformation of the park’s gardens.
Rookery Park comprises the gardens that surround Rookery House in Erdington, dating back to the 1730s. The Friends of Rookery Park group aims to improve the park and its historic sunken garden whilst providing activities that meet the needs of the local community.
As a member of the Birmingham Open Spaces Forum, the group is a part of a volunteer network that brings together people from all over Birmingham with an interest in open spaces. Supported by Birmingham City Council park ranger, Errol Codner, the group runs a fortnightly volunteer gardening club that is currently working to improve the park’s sunken garden.
The donation from the McCarthy Stone Foundation will be used to purchase established plants that will help to transform this space Lydia Harrington, Chair at Friends of Rookery Park, commented: “As a group made up entirely of volunteers, we truly value all kinds of support.
“We’re especially grateful to McCarthy Stone for their generous donation, which will help us cover the costs of plants for the sunken garden and help us maintain Rookery Park as one of Erdington’s most beautiful outdoor spaces.” The McCarthy Stone Foundation supports grassroots, volunteer led charitable causes, including those that promote the health and wellbeing of older people.
It is the independent, registered charity of the UK’s leading developer and manager of retirement communities, McCarthy Stone, which has a new Retirement Living development, Botham Place, under construction on Orphanage Road in Erdington. Rebecca Johnson, Sales Director at McCarthy Stone, said: “Supporting and engaging with communities close to our developments is really important to McCarthy Stone and we’re delighted to lend a helping hand to the Friends of Rookery Park group.
“We look forward to revisiting the sunken garden in the coming months to see how the space has evolved.” Botham Place will offer a mix of one and two-bedroom energy-efficient retirement apartments, featuring private patios or Juliet balconies.
Homeowners will benefit from access to stylish communal spaces, including a well-appointed communal lounge and beautifully landscaped gardens. For peace of mind, each property will benefit from a 24/7 emergency call system, while a House Manager will be on-site during office hours to keep everything running smoothly.
For the over 55s, properties at Botham Place will be exclusively available through McCarthy Stone’s Shared Ownership scheme. The Older Persons Shared Ownership (OPSO) scheme is a government-backed initiative and helps to reduce the costs of buying a retirement property, bringing the concept of retirement living to a much wider group of people than ever before, allowing them to enjoy a safe, secure and independent lifestyle for less.
For example, purchase a 75% share of a one-bedroom apartment for £142,500, or 75% of a two-bedroom apartment for £198,750, with no rent to pay on the remaining 25%. Alternatively, retirees can purchase a lower percentage of the property, with a monthly rent payable on the remaining share*.
More than nine 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. McCarthy Stone is the only UK housebuilder of any size or type to achieve this rating every year it has taken part in the survey.
*Shared ownership prices are subject to availability.
