“We were always there for each other”

Joe  aged 71, and 78-year-old Pat have been neighbours in one of our communities in Wrexham for more than 20 years. They first met when Joe moved to Hackett Court, where Pat lived with her husband Ron. Pat still lives in the same apartment, while Joe now lives in a bungalow at Thomas Court, a short walk away.  

“I grew up in the area and I remember the houses at Barracksfield, as it was known then, being built,” said Joe. 

“Where the estate is now was just a field with two army containers.   

“My early memories of living in Hackett Court were of the good neighbours I had. We were always there for each other, whether it was when one of us had run out of a pint of milk or if we needed help to clear snow in the winter. Pat and I still help each other out now.”  

Pat moved to Hackett Court when she married her late husband, Ron, who had been a resident there since the first sets of keys were handed over. When he passed away 16 years ago, at the age of 90, Pat opted to stay in Wrexham.  

“The flat in Hackett Court has been my home for more than 30 years and I’ve made good friends here, so I didn’t want to move,” she said.  

“I’d never been to Wrexham before I met Ron. It was a big change – I moved from a fairly big house with a garden to a one bed flat – but we built a good life together. It is a quiet place to live, the gardens are really well kept. I’ve settled into life in Wrexham.”