Top Three Team Building Events in Manchester

Together We Can in Manchester

Manchester’s worker bee symbol denotes Mancunians’ hard work ethic, and also symbolises the city as a hive of activity. Residents have a sense of identity and belonging, and this inspires us to dedicate our ‘Together We Can’ team building event to this city as the first recommended event. This activity involves a series of challenges that teams work on together to complete. It is not just an event about teamwork, but also about collaboration between teams. This makes it a real metaphor for work back at the hive. Cewe chose this event, and sent us this feedback afterwards; ’just wanted to say a big thank you for all your hard work putting together the event last week, it went really well and everyone seemed to have a good time and enter into the spirit of things with the afternoon event.  The final output was brilliant and something we’ll be able to display and remind us all of the purpose of the day!’

Rollercoaster in Manchester

The next recommended event is Rollercoaster. There are 22 theme parks in Manchester, and Belle Vue Zoological Gardens was one of the first in the country, opening in 1836. Sadly that particular park has now closed, but do not worry – you can build your own Rollercoaster with our team building event. We provide all of the materials needed, and you simply need to transport a ball around the room without the aid of a human touch. Well, simply is hardly the right word. We have seen some of the most complex structures created, including lifts, jumps and all manner of other clever devices. Blackrock sent us this feedback; ‘It was really a pleasure to work with you. I didn’t know what to expect from this event beforehand. However, it really did exceed my expectation. The whole thing was fabulous. I did not receive one negative comment. Just brilliant.’

Drumming Workshop in Manchester

There have been some famous drummers who hailed from Manchester, including Chris Joyce from UB40. However, it is the street music to be found in Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre that have pushed our Drumming Workshop into the top three. If you are participating in a team building event which involves walking, or running, around the city you are going to experience street music at many locations. Our Drumming Workshop has a lot in common with street music; it is rhythmical, compulsive and really gets into your soul. Knorr-Bremse had this to say; ‘I just wanted to let you know what a HUGE success the event was.  Mark and the team were amazing and everybody thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon – the feedback has been tremendous.  Mark’s style, his connection with the audience and his humour, it was all just perfect.’ This is an event that consistently surprises our clients with what they are capable of as a group, and also how much they enjoy doing it.
 

Outdoor Team Building Events in Manchester

As a city large open spaces are limited, and unfortunately public parks are not somewhere we can set up our equipment. If you want an event such as The Crystal Challenge or It’s a Knockout then a short trip out of the main city are will be necessary. However, the opportunities in the city are still plentiful. Our Hidden Quest Treasure Hunt is always successful in cities, as there are so many locations to use within easy walking distance of each other. ExxonMobil ran a day for one of their teams; ‘our new graduates thought it was such an excellent way to spend an afternoon after having sat through three days of corporate presentations. They felt that while the challenges were most definitely designed to develop and enhance team building skills it was tremendous fun too.  The weather stayed nice all afternoon and the awards ceremony to announce the winning team was very light-hearted and funny too.’ When we create activities we spend a lot of time making sure that they deliver tangible team building benefits which include planning, strategy, and teamwork. However, it is also really important that the events are fun and not a slog so that participants enjoy taking part.

Indoor Team Building Events in Manchester

You can have a look at our selection of indoor team building events in the drop down menu above. Our Crime Scene Investigation is a popular choice in Manchester, and we get great feedback from it. We can set up in a hotel conference room, or in your offices if you prefer. We lay down a crime scene, taped off with crime scene tape, and you have to search the area for clues. These might include hairs, strange powders or even blood. Do not worry, we have simulated blood. No-one is harmed in the creation of this event! Two witnesses are available for questioning, professional role play actors who may become suspect as the case unravels. As you can imagine, our actors were very excited when The British Academy booked this team building event; ‘The CSI event went splendidly and all of our attendees, as well as myself, really enjoyed the activity. The representatives were punctual, professional, and committed to their roles. They were also very flexible given that we had to shift our schedule and attendance numbers slightly.’ The Crime Scene Investigation team building event is just one of many possibilities, so do call our enthusiastic team to discuss your event in detail.

Evening Team Building Events in Manchester

Evening team building events can take place before, during or after dinner. One of the things to consider is that delegates may be tired after a long day, and also when tired a small amount of wine can add to the feeling of sleepiness. For this reason we would not usually recommend our Quizmania event as after dinner entertainment. A Murder Mystery will work well over dinner. We always give out the main clues at the beginning of the meal, so people have plenty of time to get into the case. As the wine flows people relax, and that is when some of the fun banter can really take place. Bourjois chose a Murder Mystery; ‘we all laughed so much and the teams really got into the questioning and looking for clues and evidence once they got over the initial shock of having their dinner interrupted by the actors! Thanks again for all your help and please congratulate all of the actors - they were brilliant.’ Cocktail Making is a good example of an evening team building event that works well before dinner. BSI enjoyed cocktails and ‘mocktails’; ‘thank you so much for an amazing event – it was so much fun and everyone loved it. It exceeded expectations.’

Icebreaker Team Building Events in Manchester

You may choose an Icebreaker to launch a conference, and set off a day with an energising fun ‘lifter’, or you may need it after a particular speaker, or when an audience comes back from lunch. Icebreakers are shorter than typical team building events, energetic and punchy. Boomwhacker is a very good example of this activity. Tubes of plastic of various lengths are used to create music. The challenge is to co-ordinate a room full of people so that they produce a tune, rather than a cacophony of bonks. This process is great fun, and will create lots of laughs, just as the final result will cause pleasant surprise. BAT chose this event; ‘the day’s activities were fun. Boomwhacker was most enjoyable, as it created lots of laughter and energised people.’ Laughter and energy really are headline ingredients in the successful Icebreaker. Often people are hesitant when they are first handed Boomwhackers, they are unsure whether they will enjoy the event and unsure whether anything meaningful will be created. As one client said; ‘I have had so much positive feedback.  We really challenged people’s perceptions. It was just fab!’ We have a variety of Icebreaker team building events on offer. Just drop down the tab above to see the range.

Company Fun Days in Manchester

All of our team building events are fun, but the Company Fun Day is a specific event format, and for many clients this is an annual event that staff and their families really look forward to. We need a large area of space, so in most cases we will need to travel a short distance out into the outskirts of Manchester. Activities such as Country Sports, It’s A Knockout and, in some cases, School Sports Day activities (who does not enjoy an egg and spoon race?). We organise catering in barbecue or picnic form, with vegetarians and vegans and all intolerances covered. Add some marquees, bunting and flags and you have a wonderful Family Fun Day that will delight all. 1&1 asked us to do just this, and Priya, the organiser, said; ‘I just wanted to say thanks for all you guys did in making our summer party a very memorable event! Everyone had a great time and that would not have been possible without you guys.’ It is not just the activities that we will help with. Every fun day needs a risk assessment written by an experienced event organiser, and health and safety in the run up and on the day need to be considered. As professional event organisers we are here to help.

Company Away Days in Manchester

Sometimes it is good to get away for the day. The company away day is like the school picnic, and for some companies it will even involve a train or coach trip. It can be fun to load up with rucksacks and picnics for participants. Sunscreen, a disposable mac (this is England after all) and some snacks. Vimto originates from Mancheter, so perhaps include a bottle of that. Originally it was called Vim Tonic, created by the temperance movement as a sugary pick-me-up alternative to alcohol. You never know, that may come up in our Quizmania event! MDD chose The Team Building Company to organise their away day; ‘Firstly, can I say a massive thank you for a fantastic day!  I had lots of fun and a partner this morning said it was one of the best team building day they have had, so a massive thank you for that. The pictures are great. I have just distributed them around the office and everyone is laughing.’ Just as with any shared experience photos are a long lasting reminder of an enjoyable day, and they are very important with team building events because they can help to prolong the positive vibe created by an away day.

Company Team Building in Manchester

Greater Manchester has the highest number of companies in the UK, with over half a million firms based in the area. That is why the city is one of our regular locations for team building events. Many companies have now worked with us several times, and worked their way around our list of events. Pfizer are a regular client; ‘the team had a fantastic afternoon and are still talking about it this week. I think we have set the bar rather high for next year – what are we going to come up with?’ We have plenty of events to choose from, and we develop new ones every year. Our Crystal Challenge event really does have something for everyone in the variety of different activities which are a part of it. The Law Society chose this event; ‘the event on Wednesday went very well and everyone enjoyed the day. The mixture of indoor and outdoor activities was a success and provided colleagues with a variety of different challenges.’ CVC made a similar point about the variety; ‘everyone thoroughly enjoyed the event on Thursday.  They particularly liked the variety of the games and there was something for everyone.’ Call us to discuss your company team building event.

Competitive Team Building Events in Manchester

When you think of competition in the context of Manchester then football comes to mind for most people. There are two major football teams, City and United, and Manchester actually hosted the famous 1966 World Cup. In 2003 The Team Building Company ran an event for Manchester City football team. It may have been over 20 years ago, but it was a big moment for us. David Seaman, Robbie Fowley, and then manager Kevin Keegan took part in a variety of challenges including golf chipping, basketball and, of course, Human Table Football. Kevin Keegan said after the event; ‘we all enjoyed the activities and found them beneficial to the team’.  It is amazing to think that more than 20 years have passed since that event, but it remains a proud moment for us. More recently St David’s School brought us in for some team building, and the competition could not be avoided; ‘our great thanks go to Rob and team for making a fun day for all, and I loved the element of competition that crept in. It was just what was needed. Sadly I was not on the winning team – actually, I was on the duffer team that came in last; but you win some, you lose some!’

Creative Team Building Events & Activities in Manchester

Most team building events will have a creative element, and they often involve new experiences for the participants. Cocktail Making, which increasingly involves alcohol-free ‘mocktails’, is a good example. We bring in a bar for each team, with plenty of mixer drinks, ingredients and additives, and importantly experts who will guide teams through the cocktail making experience. You even get a bit of artistry in the form of throwing, pouring from one vessel to the other in elaborate ways. Cavendish Nuclear did this; ‘the team building got great feedback from our staff. James and his colleagues were really enthusiastic and were great at engaging with our staff. It was the perfect break in the day and I think just what we were after.’ Cisco enjoyed Cocktail Making and Ready, Steady, Cook, our cooking team building event; ‘thank you to you and your team for putting together this program at such short notice. I know that I thoroughly enjoyed the cooking, as did all the members of my team.  It was a very good way to start (and end) an evening which generated a good bit of team work and laughter, so it seems our objective was achieved.’

Charity Team Building Events in Manchester

According to the directory 192 there are 179 active charities and charitable organisations in Manchester, but with smaller causes and unregistered not-for-profits this number will be very much higher in reality. This all leads to a huge amount of good work being done by generous Mancunians. We can help you to get involved with some of our Charity Team Building Events. The most popular of these is Tour De team, our cycling themed team building event. Various cycling related tasks are given to teams, but the central activity involves building a bike and, at the end of the day, this can be donated to good causes for their use, or to be sold to raise vital funds. This is not the only charity team building event on offer. We can help you to work directly with charities which run properties, and past projects have including the building of a sensory garden and upgrading an outdoor building into a craft centre. We even once built a tiger enclosure at a wildlife park. For companies that want to enjoy an event that impacts their corporate social responsibility objectives charity team building is something to consider. Call us to discuss the possibilities in this exciting area.