BUSINESS
TEAM BUILDING
TEAM BUILDING AT BETTESHANGER PARK
THE iK TEAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMPETITIVE BUNCH, BUT NOTHING QUITE BROUGHT THAT STREAK OUT LIKE OUR TEAM-BUILDING DAY AT BETTESHANGER PARK. EVEN IN THE FACE OF ABSOLUTELY TORRENTIAL RAIN, SPIRITS WERE HIGH AS WE BUNDLED UP IN WATERPROOFS AND BOOTS, READY TO TACKLE A MORNING OF CHALLENGES THAT TESTED NOT ONLY OUR STAMINA BUT ALSO OUR INGENUITY AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. BY SAMANTHA READY
Led by Jamie, swiftly dubbed‘ Ranger Jim’, and the ever-encouraging Chantelle, we set off with maps in hand for a round of orienteering. The task was simple in theory: navigate the park’ s main trails to locate the hidden points that would reveal our den-building kit. In practice? Less so. Between misread way-points, over-enthusiastic pacing, one spectacular detour via a rather muddy trail, Adam dressed in seemingly a bright blue binbag( it was a‘ poncho’ apparently) leading us in circles and some sneaky red herrings from new team member Jade, laughter rang louder than the rain as we pieced together the clues.
Next came nightlining, the activity that had us howling. Split into two teams, we donned blackout goggles and attempted to navigate a full assault course- think tyres, cargo nets, balance beams and all. My team-‘ binbag’ Adam, Jerry, Louisa and I set off to‘ rescue’ Alex, Sophie and Jade. With zero vision, the only option was to trust each other’ s voices and guiding hands. There’ s nothing quite like stumbling, slipping and crawling in the dark together to spark both camaraderie and comedy.
Once we’ d dried our tears of laughter, it was on to shelter building. Again divided into teams, we raced to construct the driest, sturdiest hideaway we could manage, using nothing but branches, logs, rope and a tarpaulin. What started as frantic improvisation quickly turned into surprisingly clever engineering, though arguably some of us may have taken more pride in decoration than function! By the end, both teams had shelters that, while perhaps not five-star, would have kept us dry for the night( just).
The final challenge brought us together around the flicker of firelight. Using bark, flint and a little Vaseline magic( IYKYK), we built and lit our own bush fire, toasting marshmallows in triumph. Simple, satisfying and the perfect way to end a morning that pushed us out of our office comfort zones in all the right ways.
Back in civilisation, we rounded off with a well-earned lunch at The Lamp Room restaurant. Plates of comfort food appeared and disappeared in record time: bulging fish finger sandwiches drenched in mayo, the signature pulled-pork baguette sticky with BBQ sauce, generously topped jacket potatoes, gooey ham and cheese paninis, and even one virtuous halloumi salad( though that didn’ t last long either). If teamwork hadn’ t bought us together enough, shared hunger certainly did.
And really that’ s what the day is all about.
Why does team building matter? Because in between the laughter, muddy knees, makeshift dens and, of course, that blue poncho, it sharpened our ability to communicate, adapt and lean on each other’ s strength. And why Betteshanger Park? Because it offers something genuinely different: not a day of dry icebreakers, but one of mud, rain, fire and fun – an unforgettable way to bring a team closer together.
betteshanger-park. co. uk
betteshangerparks BetteshangerCP
Location: Betteshanger Park, near Deal
Group Size: Suitable for small teams through to larger corporate groups.
Booking: Pre-booked sessions tailored to your team’ s needs.
Food & Drink: Refuel afterwards at The Lamp Room with hearty breakfasts, local Lost Sheep Coffee, lunches and sweet treats.
Extra Touch: Activities go ahead rain or shine- so bring your waterproofs and embrace the adventure.
Cost: Nightlining starts from £ 12pp, Survival School for two hours from £ 20pp, bespoke team building packages are also available.
180 • www. insidekent. co. uk