Carey Gardens

Christian housing scheme in Kirby Muxloe

Gallery

Independent living

For those sympathetic to the Christian faith

About Carey Gardens

Carey Gardens is a 13-flat independent living housing scheme located in the village of Kirby Muxloe in Leicestershire. The development is designed for those over 60 who want to live in a Christian community and comprises two-bedroom flats, with a mixture of leasehold and rented properties.

Carey Gardens became part of Pilgrims’ Friend Society in September 2020. It was built in 2001 by the Kirby Muxloe Free Church Housing Association, a local charity set up to provide subsidised housing for older people so that they could stay living in the village.

The flats and grounds

Each flat is of a similar size having a kitchen, two bedrooms and a lounge. The first-floor flats all have showers in the bathroom with the ground floor flats having either bathrooms or wet rooms.

There is parking for those living there and their visitors, a communal bin store and outdoor drying facilities. There is no warden or care provided, however each flat is connected to a 24-hour response alarm system.

The flats are set in attractive, fully maintained grounds where residents can enjoy open seating areas without any gardening worries.

Carey Gardens enjoys an exceptionally convenient location with village amenities just a stone’s throw away. Kirby Muxloe is only four miles from Leicester City Centre and easily accessible by the regular bus service which stops right outside the development.

Life at Carey Gardens

The common room (Carey House) is used by residents for social gatherings organised by the Friends of Carey Gardens. The Friends are a voluntary group, a mix of residents, and non-residents which meets four or five times a year to organise regular events and catch up on residents' news.

The aim of the Friends group is to enhance the lives of the residents by organising a monthly Friday night social evening, including a meal, speaker or music group, barbecue or games evening. There are weekly informal gatherings on Mondays and Wednesdays, for opportunities for drinks and a chat. These gatherings are also open to non-residents.

Once a month, there is a service led by a member of one of the local churches, or a speaker may come to talk about a special interest they have.

The Friends organise a Charity Garden Party once a year, in the summer, to which the general public are invited. Cream teas, cakes and other stalls as well as charity table fill the car park and rear garden to provide a community feel to the afternoon. This event is always well supported and brings in much needed funds for the many charities it has supported over the years.

To get in touch with the Friends of Carey Gardens, email friendsofcarey@outlook.com

Waiting list

Applications of interest can be made at any time. When a flat becomes available, everyone on the list is approached to see if they are interested at the time and there is then an informal interview. A decision is then made based on need and suitability for the available flat. This procedure applies to both rented and owner-occupied properties.