FROM THE GRANDEST ENTRANCE
UNIQUEUNIQUE COASTAL COASTAL EVENTS EVENTS
A boutique hotel, inspired by the coastal motels of California, the Gallivant is a relaxing hideaway from the strains of modern life. Located just across from the dunes and beautiful sandy beach beyond, this is a venue where anything feels possible. A boutique hotel, inspired by the coastal motels of California, the Gallivant is a relaxing hideaway
A boutique hotel, inspired by the coastal motels of California, the Gallivant is
from the strains of modern life. Located just across from the dunes and beautiful sandy beach a relaxing from the strains of modern life. Located just across Motivate your team, celebrate the end of a busy year, or inspire yourfrom clients. beyond, this ishideaway a venue where anything feels possible.
the dunes and beautiful sandy beach beyond, is aatvenue where anything Located only 90 mins from London, this events the Gallivant are tailored to
Motivate your team, celebrate end of a busy or inspire Located only 90 mins from you withthe exclusive hire, year, delicious foodyour andclients. activities from bicycle vineyard feels possible. London, events at thetours Gallivant are tailored to you to with exclusive and activities to corporate meetings kite surfing hire, and delicious cocktailsfood on the beach. from bicycle vineyard tours to corporate meetings to kite surfing and cocktails on the beach.
Motivate your team, celebrate theyour endevent of a will busy or inspireexperience. your clients. Whatever the reason, be year, an unforgettable are tailored to you with exclusive hire, delicious food and activities from bicycle vineyard New Lydd Road, Camber, East TN31 0ER East Sussex, TN31 0ER Newmeetings LyddSussex, Road,to Camber, tours to corporate kite surfing and cocktails on the beach. Whatever reason, event will be an unforgettable Locatedthe only 90your mins from London, eventsexperience. at the Gallivant
01797 225 057 | [email protected] | thegallivant.co.uk 01797 225 057 | [email protected] | thegallivant.co.uk
Whatever the reason, your event will be an unforgettable experience. Untitled-1 1
8/30/2017 9:30:02 AM
New Lydd Road, Camber, East Sussex, TN31 0ER 01797 225 057 | [email protected] | thegallivant.co.uk
FROM THE GRANDEST ENTRANCE
FROM THE GRANDEST ENTRANCE to the smallest detail
Contact our co-ordinators today to discuss your next event
Tel: 020 7219 3090 Email: [email protected] Website www.parliament.uk/venue © Parliamentary copyright/Matt Chung
34 | S UAREME AL .CO.UK
teambuilding 2.indd 34
to the smallest detail
30/08/2017 14:25
IN THE FIELD This next section is where we get our hands dirty, leaving the confines of the office to bring you our first-hand opinion on the offerings that excite us the most. From unusual teambuilding activities to some of the year’s biggest events, we’ve done the guinea-pigging to make sure it’s good enough for you lovely lot.
S UAREME AL .CO.UK |
teambuilding 2.indd 35
35
30/08/2017 14:25
meetings:events:adventures
EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES Tailored delegate packages
team building FUNCTIONS AWAY DAYS
CONFERENCING
NURTURE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE THE EXPERIENCE OF ADVENTURE
01248 601 444 | zipworld.co.uk | [email protected] 36 | S UAREME AL .CO.UK
teambuilding 2.indd 36
30/08/2017 14:25
AWAY DAYS Tired of archery, It’s a Knockout and treasure hunts? Avoid the eye rolls and send your group on one of these unusual teambuilding days EDITED BY MILLIE MILLIKEN
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION
Chaps and chukkas at the ready for a Guards Polo Academy masterclass at Coworth Park WORDS MILLIE MILLIKEN
PHOTOS MILES WILLIS
I
t all began in Persia. Part-sport, part-war training, polo was pioneered by mounted nomads who travelled to Iran in 600BC. Today, you’re more likely to see Wills and Harry swinging handsticks on horseback to the clicks of paparazzi cameras. In fact, as we arrive at Coworth Park, the team are setting up for the weekend’s Audi Polo Challenge, which sees Hollywood royalty such as Emma Stone and Tom Hardy watch the royal bros at the Berkshire country-house hotel. Manager of Guards Polo Academy and regular commentator Ebe Sievwright is there to meet us with helmets, gilets and half-chaps (yes, they’re a thing). Before we mount our horses, we learn the four main shots: offside, nearside, neck shot and tail shot. After a few practice hits, which
are straightforward on two legs, we’re ready to saddle up. Manoeuvring a horse while simultaneously trying to hit a ball and not fall off your steed is at once tricky, tiring and lots of fun. The boys start off strong and fast, but when it comes to the final chukka, it’s the girls who clinch it. For a sport that, on the surface, seems reserved for the upper echelons, today’s masterclass felt like a rare chance to get a first-hand glimpse into the world of polo. Over afternoon tea with Ebe at the hotel, we’re keen to learn more from the former pro-cum-actor-cum-DJ. Did you know that Adolfo Cambiaso, the best polo player in the world, had a clone of his horse sell at auction for over £600,000? That brings a whole new meaning to ‘bang for your buck’. Coworth Park, Sunningdale, Ascot, SL5 7SE
Prices start at £150pp for a one-hour lesson, but we advise a half-day booking (three hours) for £340pp. Afternoon tea add-ons can also be arranged
07470 092251
S UAREME AL .CO.UK |
teambuilding 2.indd 37
37
30/08/2017 14:25
GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT
Barbours primed and over to West London Shooting School’s Showell Farm for a day’s simulation deer stalking WORDS LIZZIE FRAINIER
PHOTOS JUSTINE TRICKETT
I
’d never pulled the trigger of a gun before. I’d never really had the need to. But somehow, on an unseasonably cold and wet July morning, I found myself on a farm in Chipping Norton preparing to do just that. Bang! Now don’t fret – I hadn’t got caught up in a real-life Miss Marple murder mystery. Instead, I was there to learn the art of deer stalking with a few colleagues. Our instructor was Paul, a self-proclaimed deer guru whose 17 years of experience in the field (literally), was just who we needed to help us learn the basics. We started off with a round of brilliant bacon rolls in an outbuilding adorned with hunting paraphernalia, before settling down for a lesson on the six different species of deer to be
found across the country, as well as instruction on the best rifles, calibres, ammo and scopes to use. Safety rules and stalking laws were, of course, made crystal clear. Target practice was next. Paul’s calm demeanour kept us at ease as we watched each team member take aim with a rifle at 100 yards. Damien was giddy with excitement, while Jenna had a cool confidence. A quick sandwich refuel and it was time for some simulated stalking. Millie was up first, tasked with carrying the rifle, binoculars and shooting tripod. Then we each took turns aiming at cut-outs of deer across the fields. ‘When you’re stalking deer, you’re learning new things every day,’ Paul observed, explaining that set seasons of breeding, animal behaviour and laws all change. With such an unusual teambuilding activity, we
One-day deerstalking masterclasses start at £175pp, which includes ammunition, breakfast and lunch. West London Shooting School corporate event packages start at £125pp, which includes cartridges, clays, a twocourse lunch or breakfast, and afternoon tea
certainly learnt a lot, too. And not all of it was about deer. Showell Farm, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5TH, 020 8845 1377
38 | S UAREME AL .CO.UK
teambuilding 2.indd 38
30/08/2017 14:25
TEAMBUILDING
Alternatives
Looking for more teambuilding inspo? One of these three activity locations is sure to fit the bill
Business Adventures, Sandown Park
VOLLEY GOOD SHOW
And finally, down to the south coast’s most fun town for a few sunsoaked hours of beach volleyball at Yellowave Beach Sports WORDS DAMIEN GABET
PHOTOS DAMIEN GABET
M
y only real point of reference for this sport is that fantastic scene in Top Gun where Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Goose take on their biggest rivals, Iceman and Slider. Maybe it was the brilliant accompanying Kenny Loggins song Playing with the Boys that helped fix it in my mind. As such, beach volleyball has always been something I’ve had a reverence for – and been keen to try. Yet, when the team and I were invited down to Yellowave’s Beach Sports in Brighton, I’d still never bounced my way around one of the sport’s sandy courts. Good teambuilding is inclusive – everyone having a go and enjoying it – so I must say I was a little wary this one might not tick all the boxes. And that I’d be utterly useless at it, frankly. But it’s not as tough as those fighter pilots would have you believe: we had a ball. Our session started with a qualified instructor welcoming us to the venue, then quickly running through the basics. Before long, we were throwing
A typical corporate day consists of 50 people across three courts, with exclusive hire of the clubhouse included for £250. For an additional £10pp, a barbecue can be served up once the beach volleyball has finished
Go-karting and treetop Skywalk challenges at this racecourse are fun, but for something more unusual why not hit the dry-ski slopes? An instructor will guide groups through the basics before letting them loose for some healthy competition. Packages can include arrival breakfasts and power snacks followed by a meeting, barbecue lunches and Pimm’s receptions. Dry skiing starts at £35pp while food and beverages bring prices up to £52pp.
Gundog training, Gleneagles
ourselves around the sand, ignoring what he’d said, having a great time. I later found out we’d unknowingly been playing Brazilian footvolley, in which players use all of their limbs. Our two-hour slot was soon up and my opponents emerged the victors. All that lunging and high-fiving is thirsty work, so we repaired to the clubhouse for a few buckets full of icy Corona while the barbecue was lit on the terrace. Both can be hired exclusively for groups and the former works rather well as a small but well-appointed pre-match meetings space. Next time we come down it’ll be with more people so we can get a tournament going and organise a presentation. I’ll have Kenny Loggins playing when we do. 299 Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1EN, 01273 672222
The world’s first of its kind, Gleneagles Gundog School is where groups can learn how to train the hotel’s 12 labradors on the lawns leading down to Laich Loch. By the end, you and your pooch will have mastered the art of receiving, agility and basic obedience. Fancy something even more unusual? You can even go truffle-hunting with your gundog, followed by a cookery demonstration with the fine fungus. Masterclasses at Gleneagles Gundog School start at £93pp.
The Crystal Maze, Manchester
Remember when the Nineties gameshow-inspired experience came to London? Pandemonium. Luckily, those looking for more of the same can go to its second site up north. Groups of eight can take on the four zones alongside other teams, or hire the whole place for 32 to 128 members of your company for the ultimate showdown. Prices start at £125pp for exclusive hire, or £30pp for a group of eight. S UAREME AL .CO.UK |
teambuilding 2.indd 39
39
30/08/2017 14:25
A boutique hotel, inspired by the coastal motels of California, the Gallivant is a relaxing hideaway from the strains of modern life. Located just across from the dunes and beautiful sandy beach beyond, this is a venue where anything feels possible. A boutique hotel, inspired by the coastal motels of California, the Gallivant is a relaxing hideaway
A boutique hotel, inspired by the coastal motels of California, the Gallivant is
from the strains of modern life. Located just across from the dunes and beautiful sandy beach a relaxing from the strains of modern life. Located just across Motivate your team, celebrate the end of a busy year, or inspire yourfrom clients. beyond, this ishideaway a venue where anything feels possible.
the dunes and beautiful sandy beach beyond, is aatvenue where anything Located only 90 mins from London, this events the Gallivant are tailored to
Motivate your team, celebrate end of a busy or inspire Located only 90 mins from you withthe exclusive hire, year, delicious foodyour andclients. activities from bicycle vineyard feels possible. London, events at thetours Gallivant are tailored to you to with exclusive and activities to corporate meetings kite surfing hire, and delicious cocktailsfood on the beach. from bicycle vineyard tours to corporate meetings to kite surfing and cocktails on the beach.
Motivate your team, celebrate theyour endevent of a will busy or inspireexperience. your clients. Whatever the reason, be year, an unforgettable are tailored to you with exclusive hire, delicious food and activities from bicycle vineyard New Lydd Road, Camber, East TN31 0ER East Sussex, TN31 0ER Newmeetings LyddSussex, Road,to Camber, tours to corporate kite surfing and cocktails on the beach. Whatever reason, event will be an unforgettable Locatedthe only 90your mins from London, eventsexperience. at the Gallivant
01797 225 057 | [email protected] | thegallivant.co.uk 01797 225 057 | [email protected] | thegallivant.co.uk
Whatever the reason, your event will be an unforgettable experience. Untitled-1 1
8/30/2017 9:30:02 AM
New Lydd Road, Camber, East Sussex, TN31 0ER 01797 225 057 | [email protected] | thegallivant.co.uk
FROM THE GRANDEST ENTRANCE
FROM THE GRANDEST ENTRANCE to the smallest detail
Contact our co-ordinators today to discuss your next event
Tel: 020 7219 3090 Email: [email protected] Website www.parliament.uk/venue © Parliamentary copyright/Matt Chung
34 | S UAREME AL .CO.UK
teambuilding 2.indd 34
to the smallest detail
30/08/2017 14:25
IN THE FIELD This next section is where we get our hands dirty, leaving the confines of the office to bring you our first-hand opinion on the offerings that excite us the most. From unusual teambuilding activities to some of the year’s biggest events, we’ve done the guinea-pigging to make sure it’s good enough for you lovely lot.
S UAREME AL .CO.UK |
teambuilding 2.indd 35
35
30/08/2017 14:25
meetings:events:adventures
EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES Tailored delegate packages
team building FUNCTIONS AWAY DAYS
CONFERENCING
NURTURE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE THE EXPERIENCE OF ADVENTURE
01248 601 444 | zipworld.co.uk | [email protected] 36 | S UAREME AL .CO.UK
teambuilding 2.indd 36
30/08/2017 14:25
AWAY DAYS Tired of archery, It’s a Knockout and treasure hunts? Avoid the eye rolls and send your group on one of these unusual teambuilding days EDITED BY MILLIE MILLIKEN
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION
Chaps and chukkas at the ready for a Guards Polo Academy masterclass at Coworth Park WORDS MILLIE MILLIKEN
PHOTOS MILES WILLIS
I
t all began in Persia. Part-sport, part-war training, polo was pioneered by mounted nomads who travelled to Iran in 600BC. Today, you’re more likely to see Wills and Harry swinging handsticks on horseback to the clicks of paparazzi cameras. In fact, as we arrive at Coworth Park, the team are setting up for the weekend’s Audi Polo Challenge, which sees Hollywood royalty such as Emma Stone and Tom Hardy watch the royal bros at the Berkshire country-house hotel. Manager of Guards Polo Academy and regular commentator Ebe Sievwright is there to meet us with helmets, gilets and half-chaps (yes, they’re a thing). Before we mount our horses, we learn the four main shots: offside, nearside, neck shot and tail shot. After a few practice hits, which
are straightforward on two legs, we’re ready to saddle up. Manoeuvring a horse while simultaneously trying to hit a ball and not fall off your steed is at once tricky, tiring and lots of fun. The boys start off strong and fast, but when it comes to the final chukka, it’s the girls who clinch it. For a sport that, on the surface, seems reserved for the upper echelons, today’s masterclass felt like a rare chance to get a first-hand glimpse into the world of polo. Over afternoon tea with Ebe at the hotel, we’re keen to learn more from the former pro-cum-actor-cum-DJ. Did you know that Adolfo Cambiaso, the best polo player in the world, had a clone of his horse sell at auction for over £600,000? That brings a whole new meaning to ‘bang for your buck’. Coworth Park, Sunningdale, Ascot, SL5 7SE
Prices start at £150pp for a one-hour lesson, but we advise a half-day booking (three hours) for £340pp. Afternoon tea add-ons can also be arranged
07470 092251
S UAREME AL .CO.UK |
teambuilding 2.indd 37
37
30/08/2017 14:25
GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT
Barbours primed and over to West London Shooting School’s Showell Farm for a day’s simulation deer stalking WORDS LIZZIE FRAINIER
PHOTOS JUSTINE TRICKETT
I
’d never pulled the trigger of a gun before. I’d never really had the need to. But somehow, on an unseasonably cold and wet July morning, I found myself on a farm in Chipping Norton preparing to do just that. Bang! Now don’t fret – I hadn’t got caught up in a real-life Miss Marple murder mystery. Instead, I was there to learn the art of deer stalking with a few colleagues. Our instructor was Paul, a self-proclaimed deer guru whose 17 years of experience in the field (literally), was just who we needed to help us learn the basics. We started off with a round of brilliant bacon rolls in an outbuilding adorned with hunting paraphernalia, before settling down for a lesson on the six different species of deer to be
found across the country, as well as instruction on the best rifles, calibres, ammo and scopes to use. Safety rules and stalking laws were, of course, made crystal clear. Target practice was next. Paul’s calm demeanour kept us at ease as we watched each team member take aim with a rifle at 100 yards. Damien was giddy with excitement, while Jenna had a cool confidence. A quick sandwich refuel and it was time for some simulated stalking. Millie was up first, tasked with carrying the rifle, binoculars and shooting tripod. Then we each took turns aiming at cut-outs of deer across the fields. ‘When you’re stalking deer, you’re learning new things every day,’ Paul observed, explaining that set seasons of breeding, animal behaviour and laws all change. With such an unusual teambuilding activity, we
One-day deerstalking masterclasses start at £175pp, which includes ammunition, breakfast and lunch. West London Shooting School corporate event packages start at £125pp, which includes cartridges, clays, a twocourse lunch or breakfast, and afternoon tea
certainly learnt a lot, too. And not all of it was about deer. Showell Farm, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5TH, 020 8845 1377
38 | S UAREME AL .CO.UK
teambuilding 2.indd 38
30/08/2017 14:25
TEAMBUILDING
Alternatives
Looking for more teambuilding inspo? One of these three activity locations is sure to fit the bill
Business Adventures, Sandown Park
VOLLEY GOOD SHOW
And finally, down to the south coast’s most fun town for a few sunsoaked hours of beach volleyball at Yellowave Beach Sports WORDS DAMIEN GABET
PHOTOS DAMIEN GABET
M
y only real point of reference for this sport is that fantastic scene in Top Gun where Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Goose take on their biggest rivals, Iceman and Slider. Maybe it was the brilliant accompanying Kenny Loggins song Playing with the Boys that helped fix it in my mind. As such, beach volleyball has always been something I’ve had a reverence for – and been keen to try. Yet, when the team and I were invited down to Yellowave’s Beach Sports in Brighton, I’d still never bounced my way around one of the sport’s sandy courts. Good teambuilding is inclusive – everyone having a go and enjoying it – so I must say I was a little wary this one might not tick all the boxes. And that I’d be utterly useless at it, frankly. But it’s not as tough as those fighter pilots would have you believe: we had a ball. Our session started with a qualified instructor welcoming us to the venue, then quickly running through the basics. Before long, we were throwing
A typical corporate day consists of 50 people across three courts, with exclusive hire of the clubhouse included for £250. For an additional £10pp, a barbecue can be served up once the beach volleyball has finished
Go-karting and treetop Skywalk challenges at this racecourse are fun, but for something more unusual why not hit the dry-ski slopes? An instructor will guide groups through the basics before letting them loose for some healthy competition. Packages can include arrival breakfasts and power snacks followed by a meeting, barbecue lunches and Pimm’s receptions. Dry skiing starts at £35pp while food and beverages bring prices up to £52pp.
Gundog training, Gleneagles
ourselves around the sand, ignoring what he’d said, having a great time. I later found out we’d unknowingly been playing Brazilian footvolley, in which players use all of their limbs. Our two-hour slot was soon up and my opponents emerged the victors. All that lunging and high-fiving is thirsty work, so we repaired to the clubhouse for a few buckets full of icy Corona while the barbecue was lit on the terrace. Both can be hired exclusively for groups and the former works rather well as a small but well-appointed pre-match meetings space. Next time we come down it’ll be with more people so we can get a tournament going and organise a presentation. I’ll have Kenny Loggins playing when we do. 299 Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1EN, 01273 672222
The world’s first of its kind, Gleneagles Gundog School is where groups can learn how to train the hotel’s 12 labradors on the lawns leading down to Laich Loch. By the end, you and your pooch will have mastered the art of receiving, agility and basic obedience. Fancy something even more unusual? You can even go truffle-hunting with your gundog, followed by a cookery demonstration with the fine fungus. Masterclasses at Gleneagles Gundog School start at £93pp.
The Crystal Maze, Manchester
Remember when the Nineties gameshow-inspired experience came to London? Pandemonium. Luckily, those looking for more of the same can go to its second site up north. Groups of eight can take on the four zones alongside other teams, or hire the whole place for 32 to 128 members of your company for the ultimate showdown. Prices start at £125pp for exclusive hire, or £30pp for a group of eight. S UAREME AL .CO.UK |
teambuilding 2.indd 39
39
30/08/2017 14:25
