Member of Parliament for Macclesfield, David Rutley, recently paid a visit to the Oakland Court housing scheme in Poynton, where he met residents and staff at their coffee morning, to discuss the challenges facing older people in the constituency.
Residents discussed a wide range of issues and concerns, including traffic congestion in Poynton and local bus services. They were particularly pleased with the recently introduced P1 bus service and were keen to see more bus services in the area. As well as taking the time to talk to the residents, David spoke to the Scheme Manager at Oakland Court, Katie Bewley, and District Manager, Andy Appleton, about both the future aims of the site, and also what further support is required for residents locally.
Oakland Court, which is managed by Anchor Homes, has offered people aged over 55 accommodation since the 1970s. At present, there are 44 one bedroom flats and 2 three bedroom flats in the scheme. The properties are all self-contained and provide residents with both independence and support. Anchor has also been taking forward its ‘Grey Pride’ campaign to ensure society is ready to support the needs of older people in the years ahead.
David said, “I was very pleased to be invited to the Oakland Court coffee morning by Anchor Homes, where I was able to find out more about the concerns of residents in Poynton. Plans for the Poynton Relief Road will help further tackle traffic congestion in the years ahead and I will continue to work with Cheshire East Council and Poynton Town Council to address other issues raised after meeting the residents.
He went on to say, “The number of elderly people in the UK is growing all of the time, and a child born today can on average expect to live until 92 years old. It is crucial that we are all aware of how we can improve the standard of living for the elderly and that includes ensuring that they can access facilities as easily as possible”.