“Teamwork” is an important word here at Solutions and one that forms a huge part of our culture and the way we work with our partners and clients. That’s why each year, we run an all-expenses paid mystery getaway for our employees and their partners, to say thank you and to reward our staff for all of their dedication and hard work in providing exceptional service to our clients.
Thanks to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to run our annual getaway since 2019, but this year, on the 7th and 8th May, the employees at Solutions were treated to a wonderful weekend away at the beautiful and historic town of Stratford-upon-Avon.
The trip began when we were picked up from our new head office in Edwinstowe on Saturday morning by possibly the largest coach that most of us had ever seen! Once we were on our way the guesses started rolling in, and after a few hints from Managing Director, Iain Barker, the location of our mystery weekend was finally revealed.
Some of the Solutions team enjoying afternoon tea before the boat tour.
The team showing off their treasure hunting skills!
Before getting into Stratford-upon-Avon, we arrived at the Quarry Park Disc Golf Centre where we randomly split into teams to enjoy a very entertaining game of Disc Golf – a rather humbling experience for many of us who thought that throwing a frisbee in a straight line was a simple task! Following this, we headed to Bonds Lifestyle for a lovely lunch in the sunshine and a little shopping spree. We then hopped back on the coach, checked into our hotel and had some free time exploring the town, before heading out for an evening meal and drinks at a quaint countryside pub.
On Sunday, we started the morning by being split into teams again and taking on a fun treasure hunt (which of course got a little competitive for some!) This led us to some amazing sightseeing spots like Shakespeare’s Birthplace and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Our winners were even treated to a medal and celebratory bottle of gin!
We were then treated to a scenic boat tour on the River Avon where we got to marvel at some of the houses (or mansions should we say?) along the riverside.
With 8th May being VE Day, of course, we couldn’t end our getaway without afternoon tea at the iconic Fourteas Tearoom where we stepped back in time and enjoyed listening to the likes of Vera Lynn and The Andrews Sisters with our very own live singer. We even got to appreciate a bit of dancing from some of our team members!
Our treasure hunt winners showing off their medal and “victory” gin
Managing Director Iain Barker said:
The weekend away is always a great opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to all of our hard-working staff and to reinforce the family ethos we hold within our team.
This year, the weather was glorious, we stayed in a beautiful hotel and a fantastic time was had by everyone who attended.
Solutions has come a long way in the last 24 years and that is down to the fantastic team of people we have behind us. If it wasn’t for the dedication they show to our clients day in and day out, we wouldn’t be the business that we are today.
