Our Stories

Pompallier Village wasn’t on Vivienne James’ radar for retirement. In fact, her daughter was downright scathing when she learnt of her mother’s initial choice – an isolated tumbledown fisherman’s cottage up the Hakatere! Today, however, the international ballet dancer, fashionista and interior designer is relieved the cottage turned out to be damp, dark and asbestos ridden. While Vivienne’s aspirations to emulate the designers of Europe with a renovation akin to Italy’s ramshackle factories and deserted cow byre makeovers, Vivienne happily concedes she’s in a better place at Pompallier Village!

 

A self-confessed gypsy, Vivienne was a foundation member of the New Zealand Ballet Company before moving abroad, dancing professionally for 28 years. More recently, she settled in Ashburton and was reluctant to make the next step into a traditional retirement home. On the recommendation of friends and family, Vivienne moved to Akaroa and Pompallier Village, a decision she hasn’t looked back on.

 

For Vivienne, it’s the independence of Pompallier Village and an active social life within the Akaroa community that she loves: ‘The draw to Akaroa is the social life and at Pompallier Village we don’t live on top of each other.  It’s a hidden treasure. We all lead separate lives, but we look out for each other.’ She references the lawned courtyard at Pompallier Village, saying, ‘We’ve got a lovely place out there. We can sit and talk if we want to, with coffee or wine, or a good book. There’s a freedom about Pompallier Village.’

 

With her own garden and vege plot, plus the butcher, the supermarket and book club a mere stroll away, Vivienne is delighted to have everything she wants and needs. Describing her downsize to Pompallier Village as cathartic, she enjoys her upstairs room as a place for writing, while the downstairs guest bedroom is spacious and wonderfully styled for lucky visitors. And for anyone worried about the stairs, Vivienne shares the sage advice of a former local doctor: ‘Stairs are good for old people.’

When Sally Allman emigrated to New Zealand from the UK in the early 1980s, buying a house was a challenging prospect. Mortgage rates rose to a staggering 21.5% as the regulated economy shifted to a largely unregulated one. Throw in a marriage separation, and over time Sally found herself shifting from homeowner to tenant.

 

It wasn’t until October 2020 that Sally became a homeowner again, when she retired to Pompallier Village. A long-time visitor to the Peninsula and on-and-off resident, Sally has led an active life among the vines, preceded by a long spell as gallerist at Akaroa’s former Faultline Art Gallery. However, a whim took Sally to Central Otago where she worked on a vineyard, rapidly progressing to qualified viticulturist, growing grapes for New Zealand’s booming wine industry. The arrival of a Christchurch-based granddaughter tugged hard at Sally’s heartstrings and the decision was made to move closer, a fortuitous decision when a change in financial circumstances accompanied the availability of a villa at Pompallier Village.

 

After many decades as a tenant, Sally finally became a homeowner again. Today, Sally’s knees might be giving her gyp as she awaits surgery, but she thrives on her independent lifestyle at Pompallier Village. Sun streams into her delightful villa as she plans a morning in the garden, laughing that she converted her grassed area into a pebbled courtyard. However, it’s ‘out the back’ that Sally loves best, and she can often be found on the communal lawn, coffee in hand enjoying the company of her neighbours or simply relaxing in the peaceful setting.

 

However, for Sally, it’s the security of Pompallier Village that brings her the greatest peace of mind. It’s hers. And with that, the lingering renter’s fear of eviction has been put to bed.

When Beverley de Vink won a three-bedroom home in Whangamata, she laughs that, ‘I didn’t come down to earth for six weeks!’ Brand new and fully furnished, it was a Willy Wonka moment, the golden ticket to a comfortable retirement and an upgrade from Auckland’s rat race to the beautiful Coromandel. However, the lure of family was even stronger and four years later Beverley sold her beach house and made the move south to Akaroa and Pompallier Village.

 

Not knowing a soul, it was a plucky decision, but with the support of her son, Beverley soon had her villa tastefully renovated and she set about making Akaroa her home. Today, Beverley has called Pompallier Village home for six years and is au fait with the rhythms of this unique community. Living in a front villa, she’s closely connected to the wider community, enjoying numerous events and sea views from the comfort of her porch, or within strolling distance to local cafes, bars and the bowling club.

 

An adventurer at heart, Beverley has travelled the world, including a road trip across Australia and a stint in England, where son Jason was born. However, with declining health, Beverley has made the decision that her next adventure will be to a fully serviced apartment in Christchurch.

 

While she’s excited about the next move, Beverley’s grateful for her time at Pompallier Village and the friends she has made, as well as the respite care she has received from Akaroa Hospital and the support of her neighbours and ‘a lovely chap’, the caretaker at Pompallier Village.