We've been busy working away in the background for many months, planning and scheduling the refurbishment work which is transforming William Simpsons into the modern, high spec home you see today.  

We began with the residents' spaces with their community flats where digital, floating fireplaces were installed, giving a cosy, warming heart to the living room space.  Next up, brand new curtain poles went up in all of the flats lounges, dining areas and residents' bedrooms.  Fresh new curtains were hung, instantly transforming the rooms and complementing the sleek modern kitchenettes which were installed two years ago, but which still look like new!  Although you'll find the same style of curtains throughout the home, each of the eight community flats and sixty four bedrooms are styled and accessorised by residents in accordance with their preference and taste.  A rolling replacement programme is also underway to upgrade the ensuites in residents' rooms with a full new suite of bathroom furniture.

Beautiful wooden 'front doors' were hung at the entrance to each of the flats and the internal solid wood office door was replaced with a 'windowed' door, to ensure staff still have visual contact with the flat on those occasions when meetings or phone calls require the door to be closed for privacy.  The flat offices were upgraded with fresh flooring too.

If you've visited lately, you will be aware of the of the changes we've made to the communal areas on the ground floor.  From the moment you step foot inside, you'll feel the calming effect of our modern colour scheme.  You'll often find residents making the most of our comfortable seating area at reception as they chat with the reception team, keep up to date with the latest information on our display screens or simply enjoy watching the world go by.

There are plenty of places where residents can relax and spend time, either on their own or, in the company of friends. 

The 'Quiet Lounge' provides space for residents to chill, listen to their kind of music on vinyl, catch a podcast or lose themselves in audiobook played on the smart speaker.  Our inhouse therapy room recently had something of an overhaul and is now equipped with a professional hairdressing chair and portable nail bar.

Our spacious and welcome cafe is open every day from 10am, where the scent of fresh, ground coffee wafts along the hallway, enticing residents in!  The cafe area forms our 'multipurpose space' where live music concerts, crafts, activities, and exercise classes take place.  Every days sees a fresh activity taking place within the cafe area, often spilling out into the courtyard garden.  It's a busy, well used space which has just benefited from a mini make-over with a fresh new colour and discreet storage units.

If you take a look through the servery hatch and you'll discover the newly extended and extensively refurbished 'cafe kitchen'.  We've made the most of the extensive storage and have packed it full of essential kitchen appliances and a few extra luxury items too!  We are already putting this spacious kitchen area to good use, running regular small group cookery classes and 1:1 'empowering people' cookery sessions where resident's research recipes, shop for ingredients and make their own meals from scratch.

Saunter along the hallways and you'll see comfortable seating areas, placed in just the right spot to enable residents to pause and have a rest should they wish to.

Walk through the walled garden over to Flat 9 and you'll see further improvements which complement the building refurbishment that took place a few years before.  The dark blue carpet which ran through the entrance, hallway and stairs has been replaced, instantly lightening and brightening the whole space!  The main area where residents chose to gather within Flat 9 is the living/dining space and this has benefited from beautiful new furniture and an additional, comfortable seating area.  As well as using the separate comfortable lounge room, residents and visitors can now sit in the sunshine using the  window seats where they can enjoy the views, or retire to the more intimate 'coffee nook' area for quiet conversation and a cuppa.

With the majority of the residents' area refurbishments completed, we are now starting to look towards improving our staff areas.  This will start with an overhaul of our staff dining area, changing the layout and look of the space, to expand seating capacity and give the area a sleek, modern look.  Future plans include creating a staff 'relaxation' area, somewhere for our hard working staff to enjoy breaks and unwind in a dedicated, comfortable space.

Here at William Simpsons we are continually reviewing and assessing all aspects of our service provision to ensure we provide the best possible experience for residents, their families, staff and other health care providers supporting residents. The rolling refurbishment of our Home is simply another demonstration of our ongoing commitment to provide the highest quality of support for the resident within our care.

None of this would have been possible without the project management of our skillful Estate team and our trusted, key contractors who go that extra mile every time.  Our thanks go to the contractors at  Ochilwood Joinery for the their excellent level of service and attention to detail.

Explore Our Home