Event report: Team day 2026

On Monday 27 July, more than 30 colleagues came together for a team day that combined reflection, shared ideas, good food and a healthy dose of friendly competition.

Anyone who has ever attempted to arrange a get-together with even three or four friends will understand the challenge of finding a date that suits everyone. Coordinating the diaries of more than 30 people from across an entire company is another matter altogether. The fact that almost everyone was able to attend made the occasion particularly special.

Every part of the business was represented, including our sales, engineering, warehouse, cleanroom and office teams. Many of those attending are based across different regions, regularly visiting customer sites, supporting hospitals and carrying out their responsibilities in various parts of the country. With working days shaped by different schedules and locations, gathering everyone under one roof is a rare achievement.

The day gave us the chance to step away from our usual responsibilities, look back at the company’s progress and spend time with people we may normally know through emails, telephone calls or the occasional Teams meeting.

A warm welcome and annual review

The morning began at the Wade Conference Centre, where coffee and tea provided a relaxed start before the formal programme got under way.

As people arrived, familiar faces greeted one another and newer members of the business were welcomed into the group. It was lovely to watch the room gradually come to life as coats were put aside, drinks were collected and people settled around the tables.

The informal start allowed everyone to ease into the day and catch up on the things that rarely make it onto a meeting agenda. Some were reconnecting after months of working in different regions, while others were meeting face to face for the first time.

Once everyone was comfortably seated and suitably caffeinated, we moved into the conference room for our annual review, led by Rebecca.

Her speech took us through the company’s journey over the years, reflecting on how both the business and its people have developed. It also acknowledged the challenges we have encountered along the way and the resilience that has enabled us to keep moving forward.

Rather than focusing only on figures or milestones, the review offered a wider perspective on what the company has achieved collectively. It was a reminder that progress is rarely the work of one person or department, but the result of many different contributions coming together.

The session also gave us the chance to formally welcome the six new colleagues who have joined the company over recent months. For those who are based away from the office or spend much of their time travelling, this was the first chance to meet some of our newest team members in person and finally match names and voices with faces.

Sharing ideas together

Following the review, we divided into smaller groups to explore a range of subjects relating to the company.

Each table brought together people from varied roles and areas of the business. This mix was important, as it meant the discussion was not limited to the perspective of one department. Sales, engineering, warehouse and office-based colleagues were able to approach the same subjects from different angles, drawing on their own experiences.

The smaller setting encouraged everyone to contribute. Ideas were exchanged, challenges were considered and experiences were compared, helping each group build a broader picture of how the business operates.

The exercise was valuable not only because of the topics discussed, but also because of the people brought together. Those who may rarely work alongside one another were given a reason to collaborate, listen and discover more about the roles being carried out elsewhere in the company.

Lunch and group feedback

After a busy morning, lunch arrived at exactly the right moment. A generous selection of fresh and healthy food was provided, with plenty of choice for everyone. It gave us time to pause, refill our plates and prepare for the final part of the conference programme.

Once lunch was finished, the groups came back together for another hour to present the main ideas that had emerged from their discussions.

This final session helped bring the morning’s work together and ensured that the ideas raised did not remain within individual groups.

Once the whole-group discussion had concluded, the more formal part of the day came to an end. The tables, notebooks and pens had served us well, but it was time to discover whether our professional skills would translate to the bowling lanes.

Time for some friendly competition

The afternoon took us to Tenpin, where the groups formed earlier in the day became bowling teams.

The rules were simple: teams would compete against one another, while individual scores would also be recorded. What began as a friendly activity quickly revealed that several people had arrived with rather more competitive ambition than they had initially admitted.

Before long, the scoreboards were being watched closely, successful throws were enthusiastically acknowledged and the occasional wayward ball was politely forgotten.

One of the most entertaining parts of the afternoon was seeing people in an entirely different setting. Those usually known for their ability to solve engineering problems, support customers, manage office operations or keep the warehouse running smoothly suddenly revealed impressive techniques, surprising accuracy and, in some cases, an unmistakable determination to finish at the top.

A few of the strongest performances came from unexpected players. Colleagues who had made no great claims about their bowling ability quietly began collecting strikes, while others discovered that confidence and accuracy do not always arrive together.

The results showed just how many talents can remain hidden behind familiar roles and job titles. Bowling may not appear in anyone’s formal job description, but it certainly revealed patience, focus, adaptability and competitive spirit.

More importantly, the activity allowed people to relax and interact beyond the usual working environment. Teams encouraged their members, celebrated good scores and accepted the less successful attempts with admirable humour.

A short break before dinner

After the final balls had been bowled, everyone had a short break before the evening continued. Those living nearby headed home, while colleagues staying locally returned to their hotels, giving everyone a little time to relax, freshen up and prepare for dinner.

Later, we reunited at Harvester Trentham Lakes, where drinks were ordered and everyone settled in for the evening.

Before the meal, the bowling results were briefly announced, including the winning team and the individuals who had achieved the highest scores. A well-earned round of applause marked their success before attention turned to dinner.

Dinner at Harvester

The meal began with a visit to the salad bar, offering everyone a fresh and healthy start. By the time we had returned to our seats, the main courses were beginning to arrive one after another, filling the tables and setting the evening properly under way.

After a structured day, dinner offered a welcome change of pace. There were no presentations to deliver, topics to report back on or scores to monitor. Everyone could simply enjoy the food and the company around them.

Once the plates had been cleared, the seating arrangement became considerably more flexible. People moved between tables, joined different groups and sought out colleagues they had not yet had the chance to speak with properly.

The evening eventually drew to a close at around 11 pm. After a full programme stretching from the first morning coffee to the final goodbyes, everyone headed home or back to their hotels, bringing a busy and memorable day to an end.

Looking back on the day

A successful team day is not simply a break from the usual working routine. Its real value lies in what people take back with them afterwards.

Over the course of the day, we reflected on the company’s progress, heard perspectives from different departments and discovered a few previously well-hidden sporting abilities. We welcomed new colleagues, gained a better understanding of one another’s roles and spent time with people whose work may usually take place many miles away from our own.

When a business operates across different regions and responsibilities, it can be easy to see only one small part of the wider picture. Bringing everyone together helped reconnect those individual parts and reinforced the importance of every person’s contribution.

Strong working relationships are not created through formal meetings alone. They also grow through shared experiences, unexpected moments and the simple act of spending time together outside our everyday roles.

Thank you to everyone involved in organising the event and to all those who joined us and contributed to the day.

We may work in different departments, locations and roles, but for one Monday in July, the entire company was together in the same place, and that alone was something worth celebrating. Event report: Team day 2026