You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Grass Routes’ category.
Yes, it’s that time of year to dust off your walking boots (or wellies!) and make strides to walk to work. Get healthier and more active by taking part in Walk to Work Week. Following last year’s event:
- 57% of people felt that their overall level of walking had increased
- 49% walked some or all of their journey to work five days a week, compared with 27% before Walk to Work Week
- Half of people were 30 minutes or more physical activity on five or more days per week, compared with under a third before Walk to Work Week.
- They also told us that since taking part they feel fitter (45%), healthier (41%) and more active (39%).
There are four simple steps you can take get involved:
- Register with the Living Streets enhanced website and start logging your walk to work distance.
Prize draw for those who register and book your steps online – don’t forget to add BT Adastral Park as your workplace too. - Join us for a social lunchtime walk on the wild-side on Monday 14th, Wednesday 16th or Friday 18th May to help you build up your muscles as well as your miles – leaving reception @12:15 prompt for a 2-3 mile stroll.
I have a few free gifts to hand out for those who join these walks courtesy of SCC Fresh Ways to Work whilst stocks last. - Walk some or all of your journey to/from work, hold a walking meeting or take some of the W2WW challenges including the Suffolk Challenge
- Tell us your walking story…
The Adastral Park travel plan manager, Andrew Cassy, will be walking to work again on Thursday 17 May, despite saying ‘never again’ after he first did this! His journey will be 13 miles from the coast, through Rendelsham Forest, across Bromeswell Marsh, along the Deben river wall from Melton railway station through to Martlesham Creek, and up through the woods to site. There will be a re-fueling stop at the Caravan Cafe on the quayside in Woodbridge (behind the station) before setting off on the final leg. If you are en-route and wish to join him please do so – see google map with estimated timings.
Our next social lunchtime walk will be on Weds 21 March to the heath area round the back of Tesco’s and Martlesham community hall. Quite short walk of 2.5 miles which should take about an hour. See our walkings website and map for details of suggested walks.
We are also considering arranging an evening social walk in Ipswich on the guided ghost tour. To assess interest in this for a possible private tour later in March or April I would welcome your response to the short survey form as detailed below.
Ipswich Ghost Tour (on foot)
We are thinking of organising an evening social fun walk around Ipswich with the ‘original Gemini Ghost Tour’ and would like to gauge your interest for a private party, family & friends welcome.
This is a two hour leisurely, fun and informative stroll through Ipswich which the website boasts ‘there will be parts of Ipswich that people really won’t know existed’.
If we can get more than ten people interested we can arrange our own date and benefit from a slightly reduced rate of £4.50 per person (children included, note some stops do go in to pub bars where children are allowed as part of the tour group).
Alternatively, you can attend these regular monthly walks with the public groups on the 1st Thursday in each month, starting at 8pm outside the Tourist Information Centre, St Stephens Lane, Ipswich. The normal charge is £5.
Please register your interest for a BT social group tour, without commitment at this stage, via this short survey form so we can gauge the popularity and best date(s) later in March or early April for a most spook-tacular evening out.
Andrew Cassy
This months social lunchtime walk is the first of two visits by special arrangement to the Martlesham Heath Aviation Society Control Tower Museum.
Leaving from outside Adastral Park Reception promptly at 12:15, we shall have a brisk walk across the heath to the museum where they have opened especially for our group. Volunteers will be on hand to give an overview presentation with time to view the exhibits before returning after an hour or however long you can stay.
NB. this event is free but donations would be most welcome for this local history charity which has strong connections with the Adastral Park site.
List of forthcoming and previous walks walks (shown on google map):
- December – evening ghost walk around Ipswich, subject to demand, date to be confirmed
- 16 Nov – Second visit by special arrangement to the MHAS control tower museum
- 12 Oct – Visit by special arrangement to the MHAS control tower museum
- 21 Sept – Walk round the outside perimeter of the site, approx 2.5miles
- 17 Aug – Martlesham Heath woodlands* (to south of estate), 1.5 miles
- 20 July – Woodland by police HQ*, 2.5 miles
- 29 June – Walk Farm wood* near to the RSPCA / behind Tesco’s 2 miles
- 13 May – Walk round the outside perimeter of Adastral Park, 2.5 miles
- 11 May - Walk round the inside perimeter of Adastral Park, 1.5 miles
*includes a Geo-cache point
Future destinations depending on interest include: Long Stopps and a historic walk around Ipswich (early evening in the Spring) – let us know of any other local walks we could do.
If you are interested to find out more, or have other suggestions, please contact Andrew Cassy by email Adastral.travel@bt.com or call 01473 628023.
This months social lunchtime walk will re-treat the steps we forged during Walk to Work Week and stroll around the outside fence and the 4 acre site.
Each walk will have a specific point of interest en-route and take between 60-90 minutes, with two guides to cater for a fast or slower pace. Unless otherwise stated, we shall leave Adastral Park Reception promptly at 12:15 – please come suitably prepared for the weather and walk.
If anyone wants to deposit their own Geo-cache we can help make this happen, just let us know in advance.
List of the next and previous walks walks (shown on google map):
- 21 Sept – Walk round the outside perimeter of the site, approx 2.5miles
- 17 Aug – Martlesham Heath woodlands* (to south of estate), 1.5 miles
- 20 July – Woodland by police HQ*, 2.5 miles
- 29 June – Walk Farm wood* near to the RSPCA / behind Tesco’s 2 miles
- 13 May – Walk round the outside perimeter of Adastral Park, 2.5 miles
- 11 May - Walk round the inside perimeter of Adastral Park, 1.5 miles
*includes a Geo-cache point
For October we hope to plan a trip to the Radio Tower Museum on Martlesham Heath. Future destinations depending on interest include: Long Stopps and a historic walk around Ipswich (early evening after work).
If you are interested to find out more, or have other suggestions, please contact Andrew Cassy by email Adastral.travel@bt.com or call 01473 628023.
Following the successful Walk to Work Week jaunts around the site, we have started a monthly social lunchtime walk to go further afield for those who would like to find out more about the local area whilst stretching your legs and increasing your step count (work fit).
Each walk will have a specific point of interest en-route and take between 60-90 minutes, with two guides to cater for a fast or slower pace. Unless otherwise stated, we shall leave Adastral Park Reception promptly at 12:15 – please come suitably prepared for the weather and walk.
List of the next and previous walks walks (shown on google map):
- 17 Aug – Martlesham Heath woodlands* (to south of estate), approx. 2 miles
- 20 July – Woodland by police HQ*, 2.5 miles
- 29 June – Walk Farm wood* near to the RSPCA / behind Tesco’s 2 miles
- 13 May – Walk round the outside perimeter of Adastral Park, 2.5 miles
- 11 May - Walk round the inside perimeter of Adastral Park, 1.5 miles
*includes a Geo-cache point
Future destinations depending on interest include: the airtime radio tower on the heath; ; and a historic walk around Ipswich (early evening after work).
If you are interested to find out more, or have other suggestions, please contact Andrew Cassy by email Adastral.travel@bt.com or call 01473 628023.
This months social lunchtime walk will be out to the Long Stropps walk and returing via Grange Farm on Wed 18 Jan.
Leaving from outside Adastral Park Reception promptly at 12:15, we shall have a brisk walk across the heath where the Long Stopps walk starts/ends and continue through to the Grange Farm football ground and return via the footpaths. Please wear suitable atire and footwear for the weather. This walk is around 2.2 miles.
List of previous walks (shown on google map):
- December – rest for Christmas!
- 16 Nov – Second visit by special arrangement to the MHAS control tower museum
- 12 Oct – Visit by special arrangement to the the Martlesham Heath Aviation Society Control Tower Museum
- 21 Sept – Walk round the outside perimeter of the site, approx 2.5miles
- 17 Aug – Martlesham Heath woodlands* (to south of estate), 1.5 miles
- 20 July – Woodland by police HQ*, 2.5 miles
- 29 June – Walk Farm wood* near to the RSPCA / behind Tesco’s 2 miles
- 13 May – Walk round the outside perimeter of Adastral Park, 2.5 miles
- 11 May - Walk round the inside perimeter of Adastral Park, 1.5 miles
*includes a Geo-cache point
Future destinations depending on interest include: an evening ghost walk around town and a historic walk around Ipswich (early evening in the Spring) – let us know of any other local walks we could do.
If you are interested to find out more, or have other suggestions, please contact Andrew Cassy by email Adastral.travel@bt.com or call 01473 628023.
These walks started after the successful Walk to Work Week jaunts around the site. We have since introduced a monthly social lunchtime walk to go further afield for those who would like to find out more about the local area whilst stretching your legs and increasing your stride count. Each walk will have a specific point of interest en-route and take between 60-90 minutes, with two guides to cater for a fast or slower pace.
For those who were inspired by the recent Sky Ride in Ipswich or with aspirations for London 2012 Games it is Bike Week, 18-26 June.
We have a programme of activities to inform, entertain and encourage you to get on yer bike too.
Monday 20th June
- the Adastral Park Bike User Group will have a stall in the Hub with a wide range of information, experts and practical advice from routes to lockers
- the Green Bike Project (Orwell Mencap) will take any unwanted bikes you can bring in for spares
- the novel Whike sail bike will also be on display, and
- Pedal Power (under new management) will have a presence too
Later in the week there will be led-bike rides in to work from key locations in Ipswich, Felixstowe and Woodbridge, hosted by experienced cyclists who can show the way and discuss alternative routes. Visit the BUG stall on Monday to find out more and sign up for your ride in and watch this website for further details.
Battle of the Workplace – Bike Challenge. The BT Adastral Park ‘Chain Gang’ team have entered this local competition against other companies to win cakes and a trophy for the most miles cycled to/from work and on business during bike week. We have a few spaces left so contact Andrew Cassy if you wish to join or find out more – email Adastral.travel@bt.com or call 01473 628023.
Further details are also available on the Grassroutes bike page and BT people can also access the corporate intranet cycle pages.
This week is national Walk to Work Week. Hopefully some of you will have already clocked up some miles on your journey to work today or as part of the Work Fit steps challenge. For those of you that can’t walk to work, don’t forget that you can find many other ways to walk during the day (and feel the benefits of walking more).
A circular walk around the outside of the Park, via the quarry, will take place on Friday 13 May, 12:30–13:30. Meet outside Adastral Park reception at 12.30. The route, which is the longer yellow walk of approx. 2.5 miles, can be found on Google Maps.
Make sure that you are logging your miles, minutes or steps walked at mylivingstreets and if you’re taking part in Work Fit remember they all count for that too. The Walk-It website now has local maps for the Ipswich area and has a good map and logging tool too. Just sign-up and join our workplace group on Living Streets, BT Adastral Park. And for those of you walking in or through Ipswich you could win an iPod Touch if you get noticed wearing your best footwear by the Shoe Spotters.
If you have any queries about the Adastral Park travel plan, please email Andrew Cassy, Travel Plan Manager.
For all information on Grass Routes, the Adastral Park travel plan, visit the Grass Routes website
Over 80 people registered to attend this inaugural webinar event on Wednesday 22 September to explore in-depth the issues around the sustainability agenda and how they relate to your business, the economy and the environment.
The discussion ranged from what is sustainable travel through cycling, electric vehicles, behaviour change and the bigger economic challenges, touching briefly on vegetarianism and bio-fuels.
The event has been recorded and can be replayed or downloaded online.
If you listened live or using replay we’d be interested in your feedback on this event.
If you have any further suggestions for future calls or use of the webinar technology then please email adastral.travel@bt.com.
The Adastral Park travel plan, Grassroutes, is two on Friday 18 June. Come along to the Hub (11:00-14:00) to celebrate!
Special offers on the day
- Free breakfast for those who travel to Adastral Park sustainably on Fri 18 June
- if you’ve walked, biked, bussed or car shared in to work you can collect a voucher from Andrew Cassy, the Travel Plan Manager, who will be wearing his white Grassroutes T-shirt in the Hub from 07:30-14:00 on Friday 18 June only
- voucher is worth up to £2.50 for food/drink, no change or cash alternative provided
- valid in the Eurest Hub restaurant and coffee lounge only (not Amigo’s)
- voucher used towards breakfast, lunch, drinks or snacks and valid until Friday 25 June
- 50% discounted bike maintenance classes (courtesy of BT Cycle Fit)
- visit the Adastral Park Bike User Group stall for details and to register your interest - Tombola prizes if you sign up to the Cycle Fit newsletter and an entry to win a £250 Raleigh bike if you also sign up to the Bike Buddy scheme (BT people only)
- First class family (2+2) rail ticket to London prize draw courtesy of National Express East Anglia if you visit the train stall
- Win one of five First Zone 1 7-day bus ticket by visiting the bus stall and ask for details
Stands
- Try-a-bike with local cycle shops
- Adastral Park’s bicycle user group & Sustrans on-hand to give advice and support
- BT Cycle Fit tombola prizes and draw for a Raleigh bike
- Donate any old bikes, spares or cycle clothing to Orwell Mencap – Green Bike Project
- Have a go on the Virtual Bike Ride or see the antique bicycles
- Ipswich Buses – BT shuttle mobile ticket trial
- First Eastern – discounted monthly season ticket
- National Express & theTrainline – 1st class upgrade offer
- Mobile-phone shuttle bus ticket demo
Travel Plan achievements
Highlights since the travel plan started on 18 June 2008 include:
- on target for a 10% reduction in single occupancy vehicles driving to site
- number of people cycling is 17.3% – more than twice the national and regional average
- doubled the number of people who car share – now at over 12%
- 7.3% increase in the number of days flexible working away from the office
- equivalent to saving 1.2million miles off the local roads and 400 tonnes less of CO2 - improvements in travel related facilities:
- reintroduction of the railway shuttle bus (free for business use, now available to commuters at discounted fare and public passengers too)
- dedicated and convenient car share bays
- new locker room with drying facilities and over 100 lockers
- cycle lane improvements in front of the site
- discounted rail season tickets and daily/weekly bus fares
- bespoke Adastral Park centric travel maps for 5 local areas
- permanent travel information stand and display in the Hub restaurant area
For further details see our Grassroutes case study.
