University of Southampton – Beaulieu Safari Custom Team Building Day

Southampton University came to us for their own Custom Team Building Day with Beaulieu Safari. This made a day suitable for all participants. Read on to hear about their day and talk to our team to organise your team day of adventure.

Probably more used to sitting in their studies surrounded by a mountain of books or explaining the finer points of their chosen subjects to keen students in crowded lecture halls, our special Beaulieu Safari team building day presented the hardworking staff of Southampton University with a welcome and eagerly anticipated opportunity to get out in the fresh air, convene with nature and have some well-deserved fun.

Without a mortar board or gown in sight, the staff arrived at the Master Builder’s House Hotel in the picturesque village of Buckler’s Hard, full of enthusiasm for some light-hearted activities on the beautiful Beaulieu Estate. We plied them with refreshments while explaining the format of the day and their objectives. Before arriving, they’d already been split into teams; each team comprising a mixture of staff who didn’t normally have much contact during their usual working day. We were interested to see how they would come together and interact with each other as they were faced with overcoming our carefully thought-out series of challenges and obstacles.

In anticipation of their arrival, we’d set up a range of activities which were suitable for all abilities and which promised to deliver an entertaining but testing day out for all the participants. Each of the three teams was issued with a ‘Challenge Map’ and given their objectives. By planning their route and using a range of orienteering skills including answering questions to find the next checkpoints, they would have to negotiate the course either on foot or under pedal power. This would give them the chance to not only explore the delights of the New Forest first-hand but would encourage them to bring their team bonding and decision-making skills to the fore, especially as there would be several problem-solving challenges to complete along the way.

Fully briefed the teams set off, eager to get started. As they successfully completed each test, they were awarded points, which they could compare to the results of the other teams later in the day. As part of the challenge, each team was given the location of the archery field and had to make their way there in small groups, so that they could experience the ancient art of archery for themselves.

At the end of the day, everyone came back together on the grounds of the Master Builders to regroup, compare each other’s challenge cards and go over the day’s events. Some had found it more challenging than others, but all agreed that it had been a complete change from their normal lives in academia and that they’d thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It had also helped to foster relations between staff who would normally not get to work together and had filled them with new enthusiasm after a hard year. The aims of the day had certainly been met and we even heard whisperings of making this an annual event; we’d certainly welcome them back to New Forest Activities any day.

This activity is just one of the many events you can organise with the New Forest Activities; we provide some of the very best Team Building Events Hampshire has on offer and our packages can be tailor-made to suit your needs.