A full life inside and outside the village
Christine is one of those people who lives life to the fullest – something that was not going to change because of retirement. She moved to Warkworth Oaks during the lockdown in 2020, after years of living in Tauranga. “It has been the best decision of my life. My family and friends live close-by, and the village allows me to socialize with like-minded people. On top of that, it’s so convenient, you can walk everywhere. At one stage I didn't use my car for a month!"
Warkworth Oaks is our newest village, located in the heart of beautiful Warkworth village. The common areas are a perfect blend of the old and the new, with the library being one of the most charming spaces. Christine is currently spending many hours in the library because she’s one of the volunteers who is helping to reorganise the books. “Now that I’m retired, I’m busier than when I was employed. I honestly don’t think I would have time left to go to work! I like being busy though, doing lots of fun stuff. I cannot sit and be idle !”
Christine is also involved with the village’s community garden, the UFO (Un-Finished Objects) craft group, patchwork & quilting group, and she also volunteers driving residents to appointments. She’s always been a very active and creative person and had a variety of different jobs: she’s worked in a dairy farm, been a programme assistant for Radio Hauraki, been a travel agent and finally she worked 15 years as Office Administrator for an Optometrist. She’s not scared of big projects and new challenges and that’s why she accepted to participate in Warkworth Oaks Fashion Parade when the village’s Activities Coordinator approached her.
With three more ladies from the village, Christine modelled some stylish designs from the Clothing store Sophie Pink. “I was quite nervous to begin with, but then I looked at the outfits and the ladies modelling with me, and I knew it would be a lot of fun. The spectators were so supportive, we were among friends.”
Being only 68 years old, Christine is one of our youngest residents, and she has no intention to slow down anytime soon. She’s travelled widely and lived overseas, but her bucket list is not getting any shorter. She has a trip to Europe planned for June, including a three-week river cruise from Bucharest to Amsterdam. “Living in Warkworth Oaks allows me to have the perfect balance between my Village life and my life outside the Village. I can choose when and how to participate, and that’s the best of it! I've also made so many new friends!"
