The coveted work-life balance is something many of us aspire to but rarely seem to achieve.
For Stuart and Caroline Gemmell, moving to Gateforth Park was the answer.
Both work full time from home and have embraced the opportunity the park offers to combine their working day with a relaxing outdoor lifestyle.
Gateforth’s tranquil environment offers the peace and quiet the couple need to concentrate on their work. And with the countryside on their doorstep, along with transport routes to key destinations, they can also make the most of their time off.
Enjoying the outdoors
The couple enjoy getting out and about with their dogs Ginger and George. They love the greenery, the lakes and the woodland at Gateforth Park. They also like the variety of local restaurants they can visit.
Stuart, who works in motor insurance, manages his own time and can be more flexible with his working hours than Caroline, a contract operations executive for a luxury travel company. He sometimes takes the opportunity for a round of golf on an afternoon with a couple of fellow Gateforth residents. Having played golf on and off over the years, he now has the perfect place to practise at Selby Golf Club next door.
The couple enjoy the sense of community at Gateforth Park, and take part in activities with other residents, some of whom have become good friends. They attend the on-site Community Centre regularly for events such as quiz nights and craft sessions.
Stuart is also a keen motorcyclist and volunteers for the road safety unit of the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. He attends events across the area to interact with the motorcycle community and raise awareness of motorcycle safety.
He said: “Just half an hour from Gateforth you’re well out in rural North Yorkshire with some of the best motorcycle routes in the country.”
Stuart and Caroline outside their home.
The perfect location
Gateforth Park initially caught the Gemmells’ eye because the location is ideal for them. They wanted to be near family and Stuart’s sister lives in a nearby village. With Caroline’s family in and around Hull, the park’s excellent transport links make it the perfect spot.
Occasionally, they also have to travel for work. Stuart can easily catch a train from Selby and arrive in London within a couple of hours. Caroline, meanwhile, finds it easy to get on to the M62 when she has to visit her company office in Chester.
It was the location that attracted them to Gateforth initially – but the home needed to hit the mark, too.
Stuart said: “This was our first experience of a park home, so I researched long and hard. I couldn’t find anything that touched Gateforth Park in terms of the spaciousness of it and the way that it’s run.
“We came a couple of times and it looked pretty good with the layout. We travelled around the area and spoke to some of the residents as well. Everything about it seemed right for us.”
They chose a corner plot near the entrance to the park, which was ready to move into – a good thing, as they had sold their house in Cheshire pretty quickly. As soon as they saw it, they knew it was right.
Caroline said: “The surroundings are nice and the homes are not too close together. When we sit in the lounge we can see the greenery outside.”
Living up to expectations
The Gemmells moved to Gateforth Park almost two years ago and say they have no regrets whatsoever.
Stuart said: “It’s lived up to our expectations in terms of the peace and quiet and how well it is maintained and run. These are definitely some of the standout things for us, as well as the location and the sense of community. It feels safe here, and everybody looks out for everybody else.”
Caroline added: “We had quite a large house in Cheshire which had become a bit of a burden for maintenance, so downsizing gave us the freedom to purchase our home here as well as enjoy ourselves and do things. We feel we’ve got a good work-life balance at Gateforth Park.”
Fancy finding your work-life balance at Gateforth Park? Contact Dawn, Helen or Carol on 01757 616 646 to arrange a tour of the site and a browse of our show homes.