A PASSION EXTRAORDINAIRE | Mary Cornelius-Reid
“ I ’ ve recently put in new furniture , a new bar and chimney and it ’ s now very cosy with lots of antiques . The restaurant is run by a Dutch couple and is very good , having a first class reputation . Patients of the nursing home and village residents get a discount when they dine there and the managers will even take food to them if they are poorly ” she says . “ But it ’ s still very much my restaurant . I closed it to the public for the Diamond Jubilee , when we had a special menu and all residents were invited free ”.
There is also a tennis court , two swimming pools and of course , the church . Never one to stand still , Mary has put in permission for three more houses and would very much like to convert another building into six further units with parking . Her eyes light up as she describes her plans , which include a little coffee shop with a log fire , where people can come for
coffee in the morning with home-made cakes and essential shopping needs .
The Amesbury Abbey Group , which was founded in 1972 , is still owned and run by Mary Cornelius-Reid with her son , David and daughter , Naomi . Her other daughter , Dr . Rosemary Reid , who lives in New Zealand , is a partner in the business . And because of Mary ’ s passion for creating nursing homes and independent retirement homes side by side , in beautiful buildings in the most stunning surroundings in the UK or Portugal , it is possible for anyone over 55 to move in and know that , when they are older and maybe more infirm they can transfer into the nursing home without having to get to know new people , a new area and make new friends . A comforting thought .
Three cheers in this Jubilee Year for Mary Cornelius-Reid , A . M ., M . B . E .
Mary Cornelius-Reid
For further information contact : The Amesbury Abbey Group : 00 ( 44 ) 1962 760573 www . amesburyabbey . com
Monte da Palhagueira 00 ( 44 ) 1962 760573 or 00 351 289 990900 www . retirementvillageportugal . co . uk
Top left : St . Luke ’ s Church , right : The Village , bottom left : Monte da Palhagueira lake view , right : Monte da Palhagueira gardens . | www . portugal-life . net | Summer 2012 | 13