A Decade of Friendship, Community and Independence: Mickle Hill Turns 10

A decade of friendship, community and independent living was celebrated at Mickle Hill, Rangeford Villages’ lifestyle village for the over 60s, on Thursday 25^th June. Since 2016, Mickle Hill has become home to a thriving community of owners who enjoy an active lifestyle, a range of facilities and the peace of mind that comes with living in one of the region’s leading retirement villages. 

Guests of the celebratory event hosted at the village included 19 owners that exchanged ten years ago, village team members who have worked at Mickle Hill since the very beginning and representatives from the Rangeford executive team. Highlights included speeches from Howard Nankivell, CEO at Rangeford Villages, and Gillian Green, Village Manager at Mickle Hill, food and refreshments in the Bistro, an official cake cutting and live entertainment by singer, Beth Brookes. Owners also enjoyed gathering on the dance floor to show off their best moves.  

Gillian Green, Village Manager, comments: “So much has happened in the past 10 years; we have evolved and grown immensely from just 13 owners – that was the number when I first walked through that door – to the thriving community of over 200 owners that we have now.  

“It has and continues to be an absolute pleasure to be a part of the Mickle Hill community and to be the Village Manager of this fantastic place. We have so many wonderful people here in our beloved owners and village team, some of whom have been with us from the start of this journey. This milestone is not only a celebration of our past ten years, but also an exciting look ahead to the future of our vibrant village. 

“All that is left for me to really say is that, lets continue to grow, thrive and live out best lives. 

Let’s continue to be proud of what we have and more importantly where we are, Mickle Hill.” 

Bill, one of the first owners to move in and a key member of the Mickle Hill community, says: “My wife grew up in Pickering and always wanted to eventually move back. When we first visited all those years ago, I instantly knew this was the right decision for us. We’ve enjoyed ourselves from the very beginning of this chapter and it hasn’t stopped. Our apartment is west facing and looks over fields where my wife played as a child, now that’s pretty special. 

“We’re so incredibly lucky here because you meet so many fantastic people from all walks of life. It’s hugely interesting to chat with everyone, and we’ve made some superb friends. The community is just marvellous.” 

Along with other owners, Bill has been central to key developments in the village, in order to support the Mickle Hill community. He goes onto say: “Through my career and personal interests, I have always had a passion for building, design and construction. From shelving units in the library and storage cupboards to the pavilion seating and greenhouse, we have worked on lots of projects throughout our time here. It’s just so rewarding and I’m proud of everything we have achieved in order to develop the village and its offerings. Our workshop by the village green is our space to get creative.” 

Mr and Mrs Thompson downsized to their two-bedroom bungalow ten years ago. Mr Thompson has been very involved in construction projects with Bill throughout the years and Mrs Thompson opened the village shop in 2017 for owners to purchase essentials. Mrs Thompson comments: “The village shop was always in the pipeline and Gillian [Village Manager] was very supportive of us opening it. It was a relatively straightforward process and it felt good to be giving back to the lovely owners around us. We’d go to the shops weekly to purchase the stock, we’d choose items we felt the owners would like or need. Three years ago I handed over the shop to a fellow owner.” 

Mr Thompson adds: “The community is central here and we all do so much to support each other. We’re proud to live here and watching the village grow has been wonderful. We enjoy all the activities, such as my wife taking part in the card making group, and events that bring us altogether.  

“On 18^th January, seven of the original owners from ten years ago and two original staff members, one still part of the Mickle Hill team, came together to celebrate with a party in the library, we all sat down and took a walk down memory lane; it was very special and we all reflected on how much the village has evolved.” 

Rosemary, who also lives in a two-bedroom bungalow and was one of the first owners to move in, adds: “I have so many lovely friendships here, there is always someone to talk to, you never feel alone.  

“So many owners say they wish they made the move sooner and my advice is to move whilst you can do so independently and start this new chapter whilst you can make the most out of it. Many don’t understand what a retirement village is but it’s somewhere you can carry on with your life, you don’t cut yourself off.  

“Tina, Mickle Hill’s Activities Co-Ordinator who has worked at the village for nearly ten years, is wonderful. There’s so many activities, trips and events that are really engaging. I love our annual visit to the Scarborough Spa Orchestra. The past ten years have been great.” 

At Mickle Hill, community is at the heart of village life. Designed to encourage connection as well as independence, the village offers owners the opportunity to build meaningful friendships, take part in shared activities and feel the benefit of a supportive and welcoming environment. 

Owners have access to a range of onsite amenities, including a cinema, hair and beauty salon, gym, library, convenience shop and café bistro. The 90 apartments and 78 bungalows have been carefully designed for ease of use and access and all owners have their own front door. Additional in-house care services are available.  

To view the full gallery from the 10th Anniversary celebration, please click here.