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The village hub is open to the public and includes a popular licensed bistro, hair salon, therapy room and exercise studio.
Belong Atherton offers 26 self-contained apartments for independent living and six supported ‘households’ with modern en-suite bedrooms and open plan lounge and kitchen areas.
Belong...
Care Provided by Belong Atherton
Primary Care Categories
- Older Person Care
- Dementia
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
Length of Stay
- Permanent Care
- Respite Care
Care Types Provided
- Residential Care
- Nursing Care
- Dementia Residential Care
- Dementia Nursing Care
- For a maximum of 73 Service Users
Dementia Care TypesMild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
Mild Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "mild dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Memory problems such as misplacing items and not be able to recall recent events (however, in some forms of dementia a person's memory may be unchanged)
- Difficulties thinking through problems and planning, making decisions
- Language and communication issues such as finding it difficult to recall the appropriate word in a conversation or following a conversation
- Poor orientation, getting lost in areas previously familiar to them
- Difficulty judging distances (more falls than usual)
- Changes in their normal mood including anxiety and depression
- In certain types of dementia, personality and behaviour changes may be present alongside or instead of issues with memory or concentration.
Moderate Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "moderate dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Worsened memory problems. Not always recognising own family members and friends. Repeating the same questions over and over again
- Worsened language and communication issues, forgetting what they are saying mid-sentence. Not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- More frequent confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Advanced Dementia
Someone living with our definition of "severe dementia" might experience some or all of the following:
- Severe memory problems. Not recognising family members and friends. Not being able to recall their own name
- Severe language and communication issues, not being able to understand what someone else is saying
- Severe confusion, e.g. about the time of day or where they are, including their own home
- Apathy, depression and anxiety
- Believing things that aren't true (paranoia)
- Frequent hallucinations
- Lack of emotional control, quick to anger, fearfulness, sadness
- Loss of inhibition
- Difficulties sleeping or waking during the night and behaving as though it is daytime - loss of circadian rhythm.
Verbally or physically aggressive behaviour
If your loved one displays this type of behaviour you may need a care home that has specially trained staff. Verbal/physical aggression is often defined:
- Consistent shouting and screaming
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
How we define Dementia Care Types
- Mild Dementia
- Moderate Dementia
- Advanced/Complex Dementia
Other Care Provided
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- Bariatric Care/Obesity
- Convalescent Care
- Day Care
Facilities
- Own Furniture if required
- Pet Friendly (or by arrangement)
- Smoking not permitted
- Close to Local shops
- Near Public Transport
- Lift
- Wheelchair Access
- Gardens
- Bar/Café
- Residents Kitchenette
- Phone Point in own room
- Television point in own room
- Residents Internet Access
Funding & Fees
Weekly Charges per Person
See key facts and pricing information on our website.
The price(s) shown are provided by the care home. Contact Belong Atherton for full pricing details and T&Cs.
Contact Belong Atherton to confirm what's included and get a personalised quote:
Funding Types Accepted
- Self-Funding (Private)
- Local Authority with Top-up
- Local Authority
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Support you may be entitled to
- If you chose a care home based in England, you may be eligible for NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC), which helps cover the cost of nursing. This is worth £267.68 per week and is usually paid directly to the care home.
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Belong Ltd
- Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned
Person in charge
- Nicola Johnstone(General Manager)
Local Authority / Social Services
Admission Information
- Ages 65+
Care Home Design/Build
- Purpose Built: Yes
- Year Purpose Built: 2011
- Last Refurbishment: 2011
- Number of floors: 3
Room Information
- Single Rooms (73)
- Single Rooms with ensuite Wet Room (73)
Visiting
- Belong Atherton is situated in the heart of the town, one mile away from Atherton railway station and on local bus routes. It is five miles from Bolton attractions including Bolton Steam Museum, the Octagon Theatre and Smithills Farm. Nearby parks include Blackleach Country Park in Walkden, Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan and Pennington Flash Country Park in Leigh. Belong Atherton also has close links with Salford University and the Salford Museum, which includes the recreated Lark Hill Place and has extensive reminiscence resources.
Parking
- On-site parking available.
Belong Atherton Reviews (90)
Belong Atherton has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.725) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Belong Atherton has 90 reviews.
At the age of 87, my father had his first experience of respite care in order to support our 85-year-old mother, who has been his primary carer for several years. As a family, we were very hesitant, but the week proved to have an incredibly positive impact for both of our parents, and we will continue to take advantage of the excellent service and humanity provided at Belong in Atherton. So much so, we have initiated home care via the team at Belong. We thank all of you for making an incredibly difficult decision so easy.
Thank you for such lovely feedback. We are overjoyed to hear your mum and dad are happy with us and enjoying our services. I will make sure your review is passed on to the village and Belong at Home teams. Thank you for choosing Belong.
My wife was booked into Atherton for one week’s respite care in August 2021. It was her first time in respite since her stroke in January 2019. She was extremely apprehensive and tearful about going. We had previously visited for a coffee pre-covid to visit and were made very welcome. On the day we met in the car park. The staff were extremely pleasant and welcoming. My wife thoroughly enjoyed all of the social activities. The family were kept informed of how she was doing. At the end of her stay, my wife wrote a personal letter of thanks to the staff. Overall it was a very pleasant experience and it is good to know that good respite care is available. Thank you.
Thank you very much for taking the time to provide this feedback. It means a great deal to the team here and we are so pleased to hear you were happy with Belong Atherton.
My husband had 2-week of respite care. The staff was very welcome and willing to please. My husband settled well and would willingly stay again. Couldn't wish for a better care home and would definitely recommend it.
Thank you so much for this lovely review! It was a privilege to have your husband staying with us at Belong Atherton and the teams will be thrilled with this feedback that they enjoyed their time with us so much.
Belong has always been friendly, caring and respectful to both residents and staff, and I would highly recommend them.
Thank you for submitting such a kind review. We are delighted to hear your experience with Belong Atherton has been a good one. Thanks again for choosing Belong Atherton.
The care my aunty receives is second to none. She is well looked after and nothing is too much trouble for the ladies in the household so my mind is at rest as well. I'm kept informed every step of the way and if there are any issues. I am also made to feel welcome at every visit and can phone at any time, also regular updates for the household and admin staff during Covid had made me feel completely secure in her care.
Thank you so much for taking the time to review our service; we are so pleased that you and your aunty have had such a positive experience. I will share your comments with my team. Thank you for choosing Belong Atherton.
The care home has treated both my mum and family with love, care and dignity. It was a very hard decision to put our beloved Mum/Nanna into a care home and to trust staff to care for your loved one the way you do. They have been wonderful. Thank you.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton. We are so touched by your kind words and will make sure your comments are shared with the village team.
Excellent!
Thank you for the five-star review; we will share this with the village team who will be delighted with your feedback.
Firstly I would like to say how welcoming, friendly and supportive the staff have been with my dad who is resident at Belong Atherton and also with myself and my sisters. We had to take the hard decision to find a care home for our dad and it was a frightening thought as you hear so many horror stories surrounding care homes, but I can honestly say that the staff at Belong Atherton have been nothing but outstanding in their care for our dad. We have excellent communication with them and during this hard time with Covid 19, I can only thank them from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to call and talk to Dad any time we want. They don't make us feel like we are a nuisance (as we can call a lot!) but actually make us feel like we matter as much as our dad matters. Dad looks so well cared for and tells us that the staff are all "smashing" and the food is "lovely". I would highly recommend Belong Atherton to anyone. Thank you all so much.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton. We are so touched by your kind words and will make sure your comments are shared with the village team.
Moving into care is a huge decision both for the resident and their support network of family and friends - however we need never have worried.
Belong Atherton offers an inspirational new approach to the care of all its residents - it's an exceptional level of care within a person-centred environment in the highest standard of accommodation, providing superb facilities, professional and efficient management and highly trained, compassionate, genuine loving and caring staff.
Belong Atherton is part of the local community interacting with schools, churches and many other organizations providing vital social interaction for its residents. Personal freedom is respected wherever possible retaining privacy and dignity, resulting in an improved quality of life.
It is a pleasure to look after your mum and thank you so much for your kind comments, especially at this time. We really appreciate your support. Thank you for choosing Belong Atherton.
After a series of bad falls and a spell in hospital and dad with dementia was no longer safe at home as a family along with the professionals involved we had to look at care homes! Belong Atherton was recommended by a friend and we must say we are extremely happy with the care dad has received and the support and understanding we as a family have received from all staff! We were very worried due to Covid but dad looks wonderful! He had gained weight, talks very highly of the staff. We never could have envisaged him settling somewhere so well - cannot recommend Belong Atherton enough! Angels all of them!
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton. We are so touched by your kind words and will make sure your comments are shared with the village team.
The last 12 months have been unbelievably hard for the residents their families and staff alike which is why I would like to take this opportunity to thank the individual carers who have gone the extra mile as has the manager who has been as supportive as humanly possible in impossible circumstances.
The team at Belong Atherton would like to thank you so much for taking the time to send in this review. We really appreciate your comments, especially at this difficult time and are so pleased that we were able to make a positive difference.
I went to see my mum for the first time in months because of lockdown and she looked so well. Everyone has put enormous effort into boosting her wellbeing and taking care of her. She looked glowing and she was stronger than she’s been for a long time.
Throughout lockdown the carers, nurses and management have made so much effort to be understanding and compassionate towards us as relatives as well as taking excellent care of my mum.
I am extremely grateful for everything they have done for my mum. She’s looking wonderful and it’s down to their tremendous loving care and commitment to taking the very best care of their residents as if they were their very own family.
I cannot thank you enough.
Thank you for such lovely feedback. We are overjoyed to hear your mum is happy with us and enjoying our services. I will make sure your review is passed on to the village team. Thank you for choosing Belong Atherton.
All that I can say the staff could not do any more. All of them are so helpful and kind to me and my sister. You all should get medals. Thank you all so very much.
Thank you so much for taking the time to post this lovely feedback of Belong Atherton. We aim to maintain high standards at Belong Atherton and we are so delighted to hear this has been your experience. Thank you for choosing Belong Atherton.
My father has always been treated with dignity and respect. He recently celebrated his birthday and the staff were amazing ensuring he felt special on his big day, decorating his room. There was a buffet evening meal for the residents and family members. They made my dad's day by presenting him with a Birthday present from all the staff. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for taking the time to post this incredibly touching feedback. It's a privilege to support your dad and it is crucial to us that we make people's time with us as special and positive as possible. It will mean a great deal to our village teams to read your comments and I will ensure that they are shared with everyone. Thanks again for choosing Belong Atherton.
Because of the total dedication and dementia care given by the team, Mum thrived and grew stronger until she was a healthy weight. She looked amazing and enjoyed her life in a caring, homely community. We, as a family, cannot praise the staff enough.
It was always a pleasure to visit Mum at Belong as a warm welcome was extended to me and other family members, any day and at any time. Mum visited the Bistro frequently with various family members and met other residents and the public who we chatted to quite often. She also enjoyed the coffee mornings in the Venue function room.
Mum had her hair done once a week at the inhouse hairdressers and she even had 1 to 1 exercise sessions in the gym for a short while. Always something to do here, with visiting entertainment and lots of activities. Mum could not have had a more dignified and caring end of life.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton and for your very kind words. It was a privilege to have your mum live here and happy to know that she was happy during her time with us and that, as a family, you felt welcome also as that is very important to everyone here....
My husband was a resident from October 2018 to June 2019. His care and eventually his nursing care and then palliative care was second to none. He was treated with the utmost kindness, sensitivity and dignity throughout his time in 'Belong'. The consideration from the staff was excellent towards me and my family throughout my husband's residency, until his passing.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton. Please accept our condolences; it was a privilege to care for your husband and we are pleased to know he was happy here and that the team were able to offer some support to you and your family also. I will ensure your kind words are shared with the team.
From day one the care for my wife has been exceptional, this also applies to the love and kindness shown to me on "down" days. The staff are only too willing to help whatever is needed. The rooms are kept clean, tidy and warm.
Thank you for submitting your review of Belong Atherton. The team work hard to ensure we provide a warm, friendly and welcoming environment and so we are delighted to hear that this has been your experience. I will ensure your kind words are shared with the team. Thank you for choosing Belong Atherton.
The main reason for leaving was because unexpectedly she received the offer of a place nearer to me.
In fact, she had decided to become a permanent resident until this arose.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton, which is valued by all of the staff teams. We are delighted to know that your experience of Belong Atherton was so positive; it was a pleasure to have your mother stay with us. We do hope she will continue to be happy in her new home and would like to thank you again for choosing Belong Atherton.
She recently celebrated her 100th birthday and the staff organised a birthday tea which was enjoyed by her friends and relatives.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton. We do our best to understand every customer and it is a pleasure to have your mother with us. The team will be delighted to know that everyone enjoyed the birthday party; I will ensure your comments are shared with them. Thank you for choosing Belong Atherton.
Thank you.
Thank you for taking the time to submit your review of Belong Atherton. We are delighted to know that your mum is happy here and that the dedication of the village teams is making a difference. Thank you for choosing Belong Atherton.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 24 May 2018Outstanding
- CaringOutstanding
- EffectiveOutstanding
- ResponsiveOutstanding
- SafeGood
- Well-ledOutstanding
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
Bed Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (25) & Events (0)
- 29 Jul 2026
Belong at Home, the dementia specialist home care service from Belong Villages, has retained its crown as the UK’s only not-for-profit operator to be named in the top 20 home...
- 21 Jul 2026
Belong Care Villages has been named as one of the UK’s top 10 small provider care homes by leading care comparison website Lottie. Our Wigan, Atherton and Macclesfield villages were...
- 20 Jul 2026
Colleagues across Belong villages are celebrating recognition at the prestigious Palliative and End of Life Care Awards 2026. Organised by Care Talk magazine, the awards recognise the individuals and teams...
There are no upcoming events for Belong Atherton.
Awards / Recognitions (25)
- 30 Jan 2026Recipient: Belong Ltd
- 30 Jun 2022Recipient: Belong Atherton
- 30 Jun 2022Recipient: Belong Ltd
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Belong Atherton.
Meet the Team (4)

Award-winning former lead nurse, and support manager, Nicola Johnstone, was promoted to the role of general manager in November 2023.
Starting her career in the care sector in 2003, working for the former CLS group as a domestic assistant, Nicola completed qualifications in health and social care to enable progression to care assistant, senior carer and care team leader roles. Following completion of her BSc in adult nursing at Salford University in 2008, she joined Belong’s newly-opened Atherton village as one of its first nurses; gaining promotion to lead nurse just a year later. In 2014 she also attained a degree in leadership and management with West Cheshire College, which led eventually to her taking on her new role as support manager.
As a leading example of frontline nurses in social care, in 2018, Nicola was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet Prince Charles. She has subsequently helped to guide the Belong Atherton team to achieve platinum status in the Gold Standard Framework, to go with the village’s ‘outstanding’ rating awarded by the CQC.
She is a former ‘Nurse of the Year’ winner at the Wigan and Leigh Hospice Awards, and also a recipient of the ‘End of Life Care Award’ in the Great North West Care Awards.

Gill has worked in the care industry for the over 23 years, starting her career with CLS Care Services, as a Domestic Assistant at Golborne House. Whilst there, Gill progressed to the role of Care Assistant, and then made the move to another CLS Home, Sherwood House, as a Care Team Leader.
Gill then supported the Management Team at Belong Macclesfield for 12 months when it opened in 2007, before moving back to Sherwood House, when her career took a change of direction and she took on the role of Administrator at Belong Wigan when the village opened. Gill enjoyed this role for two years before being promoted to the Front of House Manager role at Belong Atherton, and is now a valuable member of the village management team.

Paul Woodcock is a highly skilled Village Nurse Manager and has won multiple nursing awards, including Social Care Nurse of the Year at the Great North West Care Awards 2025 and at the Wigan Borough Palliative and End of Life Care Awards 2025. In the same year, he also became an RCNI workforce development champion. With a focus on upskilling and continuous improvement, he leads by example and supports his team to deliver the highest standard of clinical care to Belong’s customers. He has a particular passion for end-of-life care and for developing the next generation of the workforce by supporting student nurses and newly qualified colleagues to grow into their full potential.
Paul’s passion for nursing was sparked during his early career as a support worker with Belong, when he was supported to complete an Access to Higher Education course, followed by a nursing degree at the University of Chester.
After qualifying, he took up a position on the Acute Medical Unit at Warrington Hospital, where he developed a broad range of clinical skills and gained valuable experience caring for acutely unwell people. He remained on Belong’s bank, working night shifts alongside his hospital role and after ten months, returned to Belong full-time as a Night Nurse, helping to strengthen the integration between night and day teams and providing care throughout the Covid 19 pandemic.He continues to positively influence the support teams in Belong Atherton and was part of the team which won the prestigious Chief Nurse Adult Social Care team Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Care in 2025.

Lesley has an extensive career history in social care which began in a residential home in Salford, and later as a care assistant for social services for 9 years, before leaving to live in Holland and later Portugal.
On returning to England in 2004, Lesley returned to social care, working at Cornwall Care as a community carer, before progressing within the company and becoming an area manager for two areas of domiciliary care in the area of St Ives and in Falmouth.
Lesley returned back to Manchester, to be nearer to her parents in 2008, and managed a small residential home for people with mental illness before joining Belong, as the Registered Manager for the Belong at Home service in Atherton, in April 2019.
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