‘Dad updated a neglected space and it’s now my lovely office’
Uni student Eleanor Osborn from Shenfield, Essex, was delighted when she secured a degree apprenticeship as an investment analyst. That was in March 2020, and more than a year on, she’s still not set foot in the London office, having had to work from home due to the pandemic.
Starting your first job can be daunting at the best of times, so her dad Simon swung into action to convert the family’s neglected garage into a functioning office for Eleanor.
Eleanor says: ‘Dad updated the electrics and installed internet cabling, heaters and office equipment, while I bought throws for an old sofa, cushions, a rug and artwork to make me feel at home. All of my working days, and even my uni lectures, have been spent in here. I’m so lucky to have a space to work in – and to be able to look onto a garden full of butterflies, birds and squirrels!
Simon, a quality engineer, has also been working from home: ‘I really enjoyed completing the “office conversion”. I aimed to create a room Eleanor would want to work from, and we needed to not be in each other’s way – although it’s nice to meet up in the garden when we take breaks!’