Popping out to the shops or bank? Pick up a Masterbike at reception!
Keep fit with eco bicycles at Masterlord
On yer bike: cycling is in the news! We’re giving everyone a head start by offering tenants FREE short-term use of our fabulous new Masterlord bicycles to get everyone fit on our eco-friendly transport.
Popup cycle lanes are appearing in Ipswich, there are Government incentives to get on two wheels, so what better time to get biking – on us! Our four stylish new blue Masterbikes are rebuilt Royal Mail postal bikes – all originally hand-made in the UK and now getting a new lease of life.
“Each bike’s professionally restored and there’s another bonus to this scheme,” explains Masterlord’s Alison Smith. “For each one we buy, another is rebuilt by Cycle of Good and sent to Malawi for local people to use. It’s a fantastic scheme they call Elephant Bike.”
Riding a piece of English heritage around Ipswich is the only way to travel, with the distinctive basket upfront for anything you need to carry!
“Racing bikes and fold-up bikes are great, but on these postie bikes you can enjoy riding a true British classic, it’s got style!” adds Katie from the front desk: she’s already road-tested it.
Alison Smith thinks everyone should get on two wheels: “If you’re heading to the shops, the café or even into town, it’s eco-friendly, you don’t have to pay to park and you’re supporting local retailers! As the bikes were originally built for Royal Mail, they’re virtually indestructible and have been reconditioned from the handlebars to the wheels. All you have to do is collect one from reception.
“Everyone’s talking about keeping fit in our new socially distanced world. With our Masterbikes you can keep fit, help the environment and give a gift to less fortunate people in Africa.”
Check at Reception about availability as currently it’s first-come, first served. A new cycle rack will appear soon and we’re hoping to offer weekend use in the future.
I will admit myself a little relieved that I was able to continue working through lockdown. Happy even to have a reason to stick to a routine and escape the house. That was until I had a small ridiculous slip on seaweed, my balance went, my ankle rolled one way, my weight went another and an audible snap was heard. It hurt! Waves of nausea and light-headedness flowed through me.
The swelling was immediate, my ankle the size of a small grapefruit and we are on a beach, miles from the car park and not easily accessible! We managed to get to a bench which was close by, with me propped between my partner and son, but it became apparent from the pain that I would not be able to go any further.
My ankle now looked like a baking potato was stuck to the side of it and the possibility of a break was on our minds.
Unsure what to do my partner called his friend David Coyle, who not only happens to be a tenant of Epsilon House but is also a member of Suffolk Search and Rescue. He says he will come and see if he can help. As I was growing increasingly faint my partner also called an ambulance. Speaking to the dispatcher it became clear getting me off the beach may not be straightforward!
David arrived a short time later and with him another member of Suffolk Search and Rescue. Finding an open gate, he was able to drive through the nature reserve and down to the beach. He strapped my leg (his work drawing compliments from the surgeon when I reached the hospital) and between them and my partner lifted me to the car and drove me out, meeting the ambulance at the car park. Turned out the paramedics would not have been able to get me off the beach and we could have faced a long wait for a specialist team!
I made it to the hospital and after a very short wait in A&E it was confirmed that there were two broken bones. Surgery and hospital stays are never pleasant, so I will not bore you with those details!
After several weeks of being stuck at home it was a joy to return to work, to have some routine and sense of normality back. Yet it was also like starting a new job. Although much is the same, a lot of changes have occurred in response to the pandemic.
It felt strange to sit behind a clear perspex screen, and to see all the signs telling people to stay two metres apart. The biggest change is the infra- red camera, that has certainly taken a little getting used to! Remembering to tell people to stand on the red spot: it feels rude to be looking the other way!
I can certainly relate to people who, during the first three months of the pandemic, have not been able to work in the office and are now returning. I’m right there with you – but for a different reason! Working from home is a new experience for many, but it’s great to be back behind the desk at Epsilon House. Good to see so many of you: welcome home!
Masterlord Office Village in Ransomes Europark has come up with a creative solution to social distancing in offices and for people currently working from home.
They have been approached by businesses in Ipswich and London whose staff want to return to work but cannot socially distance in their existing office due to lack of space.
Abi Dawson of Masterlord said that by creatively juggling space, they have created new offices to give people a self-contained, exclusive use office for just £25 a day or £100 a week.
“We want to support the business community in Ipswich, so we’re providing an office here for almost 60% less than a weekly season ticket to London,” Abi Dawson said.
Business people remote working from home or not wanting to commute to London can have the peace and quiet of a private office at Masterlord with 300Mb broadband, free parking, regular cleaning, showers and a thermal camera at the staffed reception area for safety.
“We know that sometimes working from home can be demanding, so coming to Masterlord for a day or week can give people a break and allow them to be more productive,” she added.
“Bring a laptop, use the included wifi and only pay for the time you need an office. It could be a new way of working for some people, to try an office at Masterlord first.”
As a local company working to find innovative solutions for business space, Masterlord has recently attracted back a number their 45 long-term tenants who returned after furlough or working from home.