Q&A with The Poynton resident Alice Oborn

Want to find out what life at The Poynton is really like? Ask Alice Oborn.

Eight years ago Alice started working as a tour guide at the village before taking up a role on reception there. And she loved it so much that now she’s become a resident!

We glean some insights from a woman who has experienced village life from both sides of the fence….

Tell us about your time as a Metlifecare employee.

I did weekend work for Metlifecare for years – both at The Poynton and Greenwich Gardens – while also juggling two other part-time jobs and running my own small business ‘Animal Aunts’. I absolutely loved working at The Poynton and realised that everything I told people when I was showing them around was actually what I wanted too!

When did you make the move from employee to resident?

It was a bit of a snap decision at the end of 2020. I’m on my own, finances are somewhat limited, and my home was needing constant – and costly – maintenance. So two days before Christmas I signed up to sell it, and I moved into the village in April last year. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I just love it.

What aspects of village life do you most enjoy?

There’s no maintenance or gardening to worry about, no guttering that I need to get repaired. If I go away, I don’t need to organise someone to water the garden for me, or fret about getting broken into. The floor plan of my apartment is fantastic and I like that everything in the village is under the one roof – you can get from building 1 to building 8 without getting wet! The village is also in the perfect location – lots of my friends live in this area, the bus terminal is right across the road should I ever need it, and I enjoy shopping at the nearby Milford mall.

What about the people?

I’ve made some really lovely friends – in fact I already knew a lot of the residents from my time working on reception. I have a very busy social life outside of the village but I also like to be involved with The Poynton community. I’ve joined a fabulous ladies’ petanque group here and am also part of a movie group – we go to private cinemas together to catch the latest arthouse movies.

What would you say to someone considering moving into The Poynton?

I’m an absolute advocate of this place. It’s been such an amazing experience for me. After many many years of hard work I wanted to slow down a bit and actually have a lifestyle. That’s exactly what I’ve got here at The Poynton.