We’ve teamed up with Macdonald Hill Valley to offer clients a fantastic range of corporate events, conferencing and team building at a superb venue. With extensive conference facilities and space for up to 300 delegates, the hotel is ideal for meetings, large or small, and with plenty of land on-site and nearby, we can offer a great range of outdoor team building events. Options include traditional country pursuits and medieval days for a more relaxed event, or the exhilarating experience of riding a Segway or steering a hovercraft for those seeking something more challenging.

With x86 modern luxurious bedrooms and the Borders restaurant and conservatory bar with stunning views, Hill Valley is also ideal for an evening meal or company celebration. Take a look at our evening events for some inspirational ideas as to how to impress your guests with a truly memorable occasion!

For more information please call 01948 661603 or e-mail info@yourgreatescape.co.uk

This exciting event is presented by our event compere, who first introduces the Stidge, our own take on the popular TV personality. The Stidge is delivered by warehouse trolley to the sound of high octane formula one music, before coming to life in front of your group. The challenge? Simple… to build the Stidge a winning race car for the 2012 season!

Teams are provided with a basic pedal kart and  materials such as cardboard, balloons, paints, pens, zip ties and pipe insulation before they go to work and create their very own racing machine. Working in teams of up to 12 people, this fast paced team building event is ideal for group sizes of up to 200 people.

Once the karts are designed, the Stidge chooses the grid positions for the various races depending on how well teams have met the brief. After each race the winning two teams will go through to the next round and in the final, four teams will go head to head for the trophy and bragging rights.

With 16 karts taking part in 7 races including qualifiers/knockouts before the all important finals, you can only imagine the excitement and atmosphere! With high tempo music, Le Mans style starts, pit stops and driver changeovers this corporate team building event is guaranteed to create lots of fun and laughter.

Pole position is designed to last 2.5 hours in total, but for those looking for a longer team event, we offer an extended version whereby teams must raise money through sponsors, loans from the bank manager and venture capitalists prior to purchasing materials. The winner of the event is the team with the most funds at the end of the event, so prize money from the races really comes into play here.

Specifically for corporate fun days, Formula Fun is available as a much simplified and shorter version of the event, designed specifically with children in mind. Building the go kart, pit stops and races all still take place, but on a shorter track. The Stidge is always a hit with kids, with many a great photo opportunity, ensuring your family fun day is enjoyed by all!

For details or pricing on any of the above events, please call 01948 661603 or e-mail info@yourgreatescape.co.uk

The event will take place within one of the museum hangars, where brave participants will abseil from a viewing platform which stands over 50ft above ground level.

The abseil is set up by our professional instructors, who have full control of each participant, by using a safety rope as well as the releasable main rope. Abseiling is an exhilarating challenge, which is bound to leave you feeling a real sense of achievement afterwards.

To help raise funds for Midlands Air Ambulance and to register your place please contact us for further details by emailing info@yourgreatescape.co.uk

Registration is £20 per person, with a sponsorship target of £100 or more.

Using audio visual equipment on your corporate event can ensure that you are seen and heard by all attending. When delivering a key message successfully is vital to your business, consider how best you might do this, and whether or not one of our conference packages could help create the right effect.

Ranging from a simple fast fold screen to a twin screen conference set with technical support, we’ve got it covered. All of our audio visual equipment is up to date and well maintained, which guarantees you a smooth trouble-free event from start to finish.

We have 5 easy packages in total, including everything you should need:

Conference AV Package Basic:

Classic fast-fold screen, with everything you need – even a stylish lectern. Ideal for small events with short set-up & de-rig times.

Conference AV Package Small:

Stylish set with LED lighting, stage block and lectern. Great starter package suitable for almost all small to medium sized conference events.

Conference AV Package Medium:

Tasteful set with LED lighting, full stage, lectern. Best suited to larger rooms, with small to medium sized audiences.

Conference AV Package Large:

Twin screen set with LED lighting, full stage, lectern, two LCD projectors, full stage lighting (spotlights etc). Ideal for large single or multi day conferences, with big audiences. Crucially allows two screens to be used simultaneously, for different purposes.

Awards Ceremony AV Package:

Our awards ceremony package uses the same equipment as our large package, but replaces the set with a star cloth backdrop. Designed to wow your guests, this awards set can add a little glamour to your event.

With any of our packages you could add; plasma screens, Gobos (projected logos), live video feeds, additional lecterns, catwalk style staging, logo signage and star cloth backdrops. We can supply AV Technicians throughout, to ensure a well-managed conference, show or awards ceremony. Bespoke sets also available.

For more information or pricing on any of the above packages, please call 01948 661603 or e-mail info@yourgreatescape.co.uk

Medtronic were looking to hold a team building event that would reinforce the key themes from their morning conference. They requested a combination of an apprentice style event with a chocolate making workshop, with a strong focus on team building and working effectively together to achieve the best results.

Stage One: Teams were challenged to make, decorate and package their own unique luxury chocolates, with guidance and demonstrations from our professional chocolatier. Working against the clock, they also had to come up with branding, marketing ideas, and a sales pitch that they would later present to the whole group.

Stage Two: Teams had to produce a TV advert for their luxury chocolate product. With limited time, each group appointed scriptwriters, a director, a wardrobe manager and actors, and used our stock of props to create their chocolate advert. Each team had a strict 15 minute time slot for filming with our videographer and the films were professionally edited ready for the evening screening and launch.

The event concluded with each team’s pitch and advert played on the big screen and a bit of a grilling from the panel of judges before they announced the winning team!

Event Outline:

• Date:                8^th February 2012
• Duration:          14:00 – 22:00
• Venue:              Brunel’s ss Great Britain
• Format:            Team Building
• Guests:            30

Client Objectives:

• Motivate the team & get them working together
• Create a buzz within the team & have some fun
• Focus on what it is to be the best & how targets can become more achievable
• Create an ongoing environment for success

Outcomes:

The challenge was very much embraced by all the guests, with all teams working efficiently together to complete the various tasks successfully. Absolutely everyone played an important role within their teams, with some extremely creative ideas coming to the fore. The event reinforced the themes and objectives discussed in the morning meeting, but also had many comedy moments throughout, which we hope have made a lasting impression on the guests!

Feedback:

“The feedback from my colleagues about this event has been very, very positive and everyone enjoyed it. From a management point of view it was exactly what we were looking for to finish the day off. If we do a similar event in the future then I will make sure we come to you first. Please pass our thanks onto all of your team and let them all know how happy we were with the service we encountered.”

For the venue Hawkstone Park was the ideal choice, with plenty of outdoor space and a stunning backdrop. The event began with a tasty barbeque lunch, served from a marquee in the grounds of the park, and then it was time for the competition to begin, with a great mix of clay pigeon shooting and hovercrafts.

Event Outline:

• Dates: July 2011
• Duration: 12:00 – 16:00
• Venue: Hawkstone Park, Shropshire
• Format: Team Building
• Guests: 18

Client Objectives:

• To thank staff for their hard work
• To encourage team building
• To provide contrasting activities, so there would be something for everyone
• To find a venue suited to these activities, and one which would create a lasting impression on the guests

Outcomes:

The guests seemed very impressed with the venue and its unique surrounds, and the contrasting activities seemed to be just the right blend for the group. Individuals all embraced the competitive spirit and there were some great activity scores on the day. The weather was extremely kind to us, which is certainly a bonus. RSM Partners are already planning the next event for summer 2012.

Feedback:

“I just want to thank you from all of us for the fantastic day we had on Saturday! Everyone fully enjoyed it and they are already asking what the plan is for next time. Will you thank all the instructors for us as they were great and very patient, and the team that sorted the barbeque and drinks out, the chef did a fabulous job with the food!

We couldn’t have wished for a more stunning venue and fantastic weather. Thank you for such a great memorable day – look forward to dealing with you again.”

So here are our five steps to family fun:

1. Decide what you’d like to achieve and what works best for your guests

Do you intend to bring people together who rarely meet through their work? What is the age demographic and how will this influence the choice of activities? It is crucial to estimate how many people will attend – a great way to do this is simply by asking employees to register an interest on-line. Numbers more or less dictate everything from now on. Your Great Escape can offer on-line pre-event registration, so no matter if you have thousands of potential guests, they can all be accounted for.

2. Short-list suitable family fun day venues

Over the years we’ve run family fun days at a variety of venues, so we know what works best. Consider whether you are looking for a single venue, or a series of events across a number of locations if staff are from different areas of the country.

Always check the following:

• Distance to travel for guests, sufficient parking or public transport
• Do you require generators and water supply
• Is the event in a contained area – essential for creating an atmosphere, and beneficial in keeping the event private
• Ensure there is ample space for a large marquee or close access to an indoor area
• Look for stunning venues which create an impressive backdrop

If you are not sure what might be the ideal venue for your corporate fun day, Your Great Escape offer a free venue finding service. We conduct site visits on behalf of clients, producing a site plan and risk assessment for your chosen venue.

3. Infrastructure

By this we mean, marquees, gazebos, picket fencing, bunting, site power/generators, water supply and luxury toilet units. As each of these intertwine during set-up and de-rig, the benefits of using an event management company to coordinate all of the above ensures the smooth running of the event.

We produce site plans as part of our event management package, detailing “full site” and “temporary structures”, which aids suppliers and venues throughout set-up – and also illustrates how your event will look on the day.

4. Activities and Events

By carefully considering who you are looking to entertain and why, you should be able to choose between activities which involve adults and children taking part simultaneously, or have a go activities such as inflatables, craft stalls, target games and live displays, to name just a few.

Consider activities such as It’s a Knockout, Formula Fun Build a Kart or a School Sports Day, where adults and children can take part together. For those less energetic, they can enjoy the spectacle and support from the side lines, treat themselves to a beauty treatment, or enjoy some of the other family fun activities on offer.

5. Health and Safety

Ensuring your event is safe is priority number one. Your Great Escape produce risk assessments for the site and all activities and equipment in use on the day. Event management companies are now required to meet several British standards especially when dealing with services such as generators and power supply. Where third parties are involved, risk assessments and details of insurance should always be kept on file.

So whether it is establishing site power, providing medical cover, ensuring suppliers are creditworthy to supply services, or simply providing the best family fun day activities available, Your Great Escape are here to help you organise a first class company fun day.

To read more about activities and what’s included in our event management package please click here.

Alternatively, if you’re planning your own corporate fun day and would like to discuss how we could help please call 01948 661603 or e-mail info@yourgreatescape.co.uk

Fairpoint contacted Your Great Escape to discuss a preliminary idea for a gameshow, which was based on a popular TV programme. In principal the event required all participants to vote on one of two outcomes, with the winners of each round going through to the next and coming one step closer to winning the grand prize. Your Great Escape helped to refine the concept before turning it into a reality. By producing and screening a dramatic introduction video, as well as music & video stings throughout, an authentic TV studio atmosphere was created. Our very own Colin Moody presented the show alongside two directors from Fairpoint, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats in suspense.

Event Outline:

• Dates: December 2011
• Duration: 18:30 – 22:00
• Venue: Kilhey Court Hotel, Wigan
• Format: Evening game show
• Guests: Approx 300 guests

Client Objectives:

• To create a besoke elimination style gameshow
• Event should be based on luck, therefore not favouring those more physically able
• To involve everybody in the game
• To create an entertaining show, even for those knocked out of the game
• To make this the best Fairpoint Christmas party yet

Outcomes:

The event seemed to excite Fairpoint’s guests, with plenty of enthusiastic interaction and continual cheering throughout. With company directors going head to head, a comical and light hearted mood was maintained throughout. Challenges involved kangaroo boxing, batak pro, Hawaien limbo and gold cup horse racing. As the number of remaining participants reduced they had the opportunity to take part in some games themselves in the final rounds. The last contestant standing placed a bet on the final game which was based on chance alone – only to be beaten by a wildcard drawn from a hat at the last minute, which meant that with a little luck, anyone could come back into the game and win (as was the case)!

Feedback:

“I just really want to thank you and the team for turning my vision of what I thought the night could be into a reality. I have received so many great comments on how they thought that the night was the best Christmas Party yet at Fairpoint, which is brilliant. Thank you for working with us with our weird ways and always changing things. Please thank Colin as he made the evening come together!”