Analysing access to greenspaces during a pandemic
A recent report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that one in eight households (12%) in Great Britain has no access to a private or shared garden during the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown. ONS used our map data to work towards their conclusions, one of many organisations who have contacted us for assistance during the pandemic.
Our Mapping for Emergencies (MfE) service supports the resilience community and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year giving quick access to reactive geospatial support at any time. ONS put in a request for data to help understand how access to greenspace and outdoor gardens may impact Covid infections and to highlight areas with limited outdoor access.
How OS data is supporting the response to Covid-19
If you’re working with data to support a Covid-19 response, we can help you with location data analysis. And, did you know the public sector can access data and support from OS, free at the point of use? OS Principal Consultant Duncan Moss tells us more…
OS data is being used to respond to the pandemic, and much of this data is available now to the public sector under our mapping agreements, our partners and new customers.
How location can help you respond to Covid-19
Over the last four weeks we’ve been supporting a wide range of public bodies in their response to the Covid-19 pandemic (read more on our previous blog). Location data is playing an important role in underpinning decision making and helping to manage the crisis more effectively.
We are seeing members of the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) and One Scotland Mapping Agreement (OSMA) using our data in many ways, and when needed sharing this with third party organisations who are supporting their work. Through the terms of the PSGA and OSMA licences members have the freedoms to share data for specific projects, and we are pleased that location data is supporting as many organisations as possible during this crisis.
Prize to Transform the Future
What might the *London City Region look like 20 years from now? Working alongside the (AONB) Director of Surrey Hills Rob Fairbanks and our own Strategic Development Manager Kitty Rose, OS GetOutside Champion Dan Raven-Ellison is asking you to imagine what it could and should look like…
Colour blind friendly mapping: where are we taking it next?
Following her blog on the release of two new colour vision deficiency (CVD) friendly styles for OS Open Zoomstack last December, Graduate Technical Consultant Jessica Baker talks through the feedback we’ve had, where our CVD mapping is going next, and new ways you can access these styles.
The initial release of the two new CVD friendly stylesheets in December 2019 was met with a keen interest, and you can find these stylesheets in a variety of file types on Github. Since then, we have been working hard to make more people aware of the benefits it could have for them. We’ve had lots of feedback from people and are excited to share with you the new direction we are taking this accessible mapping.
Meet the team: Dean Paulley
Continuing our series to introduce you to the individuals within OS and share the variety of work we do, meet Dean Paulley. As an Product Manager, he gives us a glimpse into his very diverse role…
How long have you worked for OS?
I have been working for OS for 5 ½ years. I joined in August 2014 after spending just over 4 years working in a Local Authority GIS team.
I joined OS as a Technical Product Manager, working within the Location Portfolio mainly responsible for providing technical advice and guidance to the business when developing product enhancements and propositions. I was lucky enough to be able to help design the second iterations of the AddressBase products as well as help launch AddressBase Islands (an address product for Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man).
In April 2018, I took on the role of Product Manager principally responsible for the in-life management of the AddressBase products; one of the most used product portfolios in OS. This is a product set used by Government and commercial customers and is fundamental in supporting activities such as insurance, energy supply and risk mapping.
Can you describe your working day?
OS data helps identify where hedgehogs are most at risk
With such varied and comprehensive datasets, we often find our mapping being used in interesting and unexpected ways. Upon discovering the #HogsOnRoads appeal, we decided to find out more…
Using OS datasets, the Mammal Society has recently published research on when, where and why hedgehog roadkill is most likely to occur.
Funded by the Mammal Society, People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), the research analysed more than 12,500 hedgehog roadkill records.
Meet the team: Karen Connell
Did you know, we currently have multiple vacancies in our engineering team? Adding to our series introducing you to the talented people within OS, meet Karen Connell. As a Senior Software Engineer, here she tells us more about her team and life at OS…
What is your background and how long have you been at OS?
It’s been a bit of a journey to bring me to OS. After finishing my Communications, Culture & Media degree at Coventry University, I went to teach English in rural Japan for 3 years. When I returned to the UK, I turned my hand to public relations. As the years went on, I was increasingly focusing on more technical tasks like website management and app creation. Realising I might be more of a technically minded person, I applied for the IT Trainee scheme here at OS and it was the break I needed – I have now been here for 5 years!
#mydataday with surveyor Tom Watts
How long have you worked as a surveyor at OS?
I have worked for OS for 15 years. The time has flown by and it would be fair to say I’ve surveyed most of the new topographic features in places like St Albans and Watford. My area of responsibility stretches across west Hertfordshire into Buckinghamshire. This includes The Chilterns, which is always a pleasure to work within.
By surveying the countryside and the built environment, I get to survey and visit interesting places. Updating the large-scale OS map of Great Britain has taken me to places such as Vicarage Road, the home of Watford FC, Arsenal FC’s training ground and the Warner Bros Studio Tour.
When you are out surveying, what is the most common thing you get asked by the public?
Slow Ways hack day
What if there was a network of off-road walking routes connecting all of Great Britain’s towns and cities? OS GetOutside Champion Dan Raven-Ellison tells us more about the Slow Ways hack in this guest blog.
A few years ago, when planning a route between Salisbury and Winchester, I started to wonder…
There are over 200,000 km of public rights of way, but there isn’t a comprehensive network designed to help people walk off-road between Britain’s towns and cities.
On 1 February 100 people are taking part in a hack day to change this – and you are invited to help.
