Surrey Homes | SH109 | February 2024 | Education Supplement inside

Retiring Naturally
Jo Arnell speaks to Pegasus Homes CEO Steve Bangs and floral designer Jonathan
Moseley about the wellness benefits of interacting with plants, especially as we age
As we age, our need to connect with
nature and with plants remains
a key factor in maintaining our
wellbeing. The health benefits of getting
outside are well known; experiencing
the natural world, exercise and fresh
air are important for us all, but many
positive effects are also experienced when
we interact with plants indoors too.
In many later living communities there
are accessible outdoor spaces, the best of
them even have allotments or gardens
where residents can grow plants and
vegetables, and interact with nature in a
practical and rewarding way. A handson
experience of nurturing and looking
after plants, from growing crops outside
to caring for a houseplant or arranging
a vase of flowers, provides people with
an opportunity to be surrounded by
greenery, to actively connect with living
plants and gain those all important
health and social benefits too.
This is exactly the approach taken by
Pegasus Homes, whose latest retirement
development, Highfields in West
Byfleet ensured that the landscaping
reflected the needs of the residents
– they were ‘designed to promote a
tranquil environment to relax and
socialise in’ – along with providing
allotments for community gardening
and vegetable growing. Featuring two
south facing gardens, the beautiful
landscaping creates a meaningful space
to overlook and enjoy spending time in.
Steve Bangs, CEO at Pegasus,
comments on how Pegasus prioritises
wellness in its communities:
“At Pegasus, we believe a healthy life is
a happy one and the homes we create
reflect this. We recognise that many of
our downsizing customers are trying
something new after many years rooted
to a longstanding family home, and
the incorporation of wellness facilities
such as saunas, gyms and hydrotherapy
pools holds a lot of appeal.
“However, increasingly we’re finding this
isn’t the wellness our homeowners have in
mind. We’ve responded to this by adapting
what our communities look like, focusing
on creating social connection, enabling
more interactions with nature, and
empowering an overall healthier lifestyle.
“At one of our newest Pegasus
developments, Highfields West Byfleet,
we’ve recognised this by landscaping to
promote a tranquil environment to relax
and socialise in, along with providing
allotments for community gardening. For
our Pegasus communities, homeowners
are predominantly downsizing and this
also means reducing access to outdoor
space as well. Having allotments will mean
that those with green-fingers don’t have
to say goodbye to a healthy hobby, whilst
fostering great community spirit amongst
homeowners and renters in a shared
space.”
‘Wellness is an active process of becoming
aware of and making choices toward
a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is
more than being free from illness, it is a
dynamic process of change and growth.’
This statement from the World Health
Organisation is endorsed by Pegasus,
whose ethos is centred on wellness in
retirement, in short “to improve the
options for people hoping to downsize
and simplify their lives. We wanted to
create places that allow people to get
the best out of a time of life when we
can pursue our passions, live in comfort,
and take better care of ourselves.”
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