149 Improving wellbeing with community living, with Jamie Bunce
Jamie Bunce is the CEO of retirement living operator Inspired Villages, a set of later living communities across the UK that have a focus on wellbeing and independence. Jamie is passionate about how retirement communities can help retirees maintain their wellbeing as they get older. He hopes that preventative care will not only better the quality of life for the residents living in Inspired Villages, but also reduce the pressure on our NHS. Jamie strives to keep the physical, psychological, social and financial wellbeing of the residents at the forefront of everything Inspired Villages does. In our conversation Jamie shares the importance of Inspired Villages’ core value of always having time for a cup of tea, how the pandemic has brought home to people the importance of connecting with others regularly, and how Inspired Villages’ communities deliver on being far more than just bricks and mortar. He also explains the rental and purchase options and the costs involved in living in one of Inspired Villages complexes. Jamie and I recorded this conversation a few months ago now and since then, Inspired Villages has gone from strength to strength. They now have 7 villages up and running, as opposed to the 6 mentioned in our conversation – with 3 more on the way. Inspired Villages is also now backed by a joint venture partnership between Legal & General and NatWest Group Pension Fund.