The big lockdown started early for people living in one Windsor retirement village - as manager Lisa Fisher and her dog Benjy moved into one of the apartments herself to be near her residents.

The residents at Castle View retirement village in Helston Lane had already agreed to socially distance themselves as a whole community before the Governent made it official.

“It was a unanimous decision,” said village manager Lisa Fisher.

“We could see what was about to happen ahead of the Government’s decision to isolate at home, and all the residents agreed that we should lockdown the village.”

To support the residents, Lisa quickly moved into one of the apartments with her dog, Benjy so she could live on-site, as did restaurant manager, Caz Hughes.

While there is additional support from staff member, Colin Morton - who is himself 75 - and two night managers.

“No visitors are coming into the village and no one is leaving, while obviously residents are free to walk around the grounds and the Sky Deck. The community is deciding on their own activities which includes having an exercise bike on the roof terrace. Meals are continuing to be prepared here and served in the restaurant, while the café and two bars also remain open. And with residents volunteering to walk my dog he has never had so much exercise,” added Lisa.

Said 86-year-old Jill Homes: “We obviously miss not being able to see our friends and family at the moment, but we have wonderful views of Windsor Castle, where we know The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are going through a very similar experience.”

“The great thing about a retirement village is its community,” says Robin Hughes, CEO of Castle View. “We can build and manage the buildings, but it is the people who choose to live here who make it the community it is - they are a wonderful group of people. We are also very fortunate in having such tremendous staff who have dedicated themselves to seeing this difficult situation through.”