Now British Summertime is in full swing, it’s the perfect opportunity to move your business event outdoors. Whether you’re planning networking drinks, team building, or a walking meeting, our collection of historic mansion house estates, distinctive contemporary hotels, and event destinations across the UK, offer inspirational outdoor settings which will guarantee your event will be a success.
Gareth Warnock, Group Sales Director at De Vere, lists his top tips on how to get the most out of your event by taking it outdoors…
Bring the indoors out
Understandably event planners often default to booking their event indoors – they know the technology will be accessible and delegates will be comfortable – but no longer does this need to be the case. You’ve heard of bringing the outdoors in, so now why not bring the indoors out? Our smart spaces don’t stop at the door, in fact, our superfast Wi-Fi works up to 100-metres within the grounds of our hotels.
According to qualified Psychotherapist Dr Ruth Allen, changing up the environment which you work is good for creativity. Sitting in the same environment for too long can make us adopt habitual ways of thinking however, shifting our environment has been proven to support creative solution-making.
With comfortable and practical spaces available across our courtyards, manicured lawns and parklands, event planners are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding the ideal spot for a unique and inspiring setting.
Add an element of fun
Dr Ruth Allen explains that we’ve all too quickly adapted to modern life which has made us hyper switched on and distractable. According to Dr Allen, doing something different from work and going outside helps to restore our brain better. Especially after the two-year pandemic many teams haven’t been able to get together in person until recently, so it could be beneficial to incorporate some team building exercises into your event.
De Vere Wokefield Estate has an 18-hole Championship golf course and offers delegates onsite team building activities with Graham Robb Associates. Their wide range of team building activities, include a 40ft climbing tower, laser combat and a zipwire from the high rope course. Programmes are designed to fit a range of budgets and cater for all abilities.
De Vere Tortworth Court, located in the South Cotswolds has several country pursuits on offer, including air rifle shooting; archery; axe throwing; blind 4×4 driving; duck herding, falconry, gundog agility, sheep herding or rage buggies. Along with their trusted partner ACF Teambuilding & Events, the hotel can deliver tailored activities for groups of five to 500 people.
Delegates can enjoy a game of croquet at De Vere Horsley Estate, and for those looking for a new quirky sport, delegates can try their hand at frisbee golf on the lawns, choosing between a quick two or three holes or the full seven-hole course.
Remove the stress with expert support
One of the most stress-inducing aspects of event planning is often the thought of something going wrong. We remove this fear by providing expert support at every stage. From booking with Smart Booker, a cloud-based meetings and events booking platform, powered by MeetingPackage; to providing a dedicated conference host, who is on hand throughout the planning stages and during the event to provide you with suggestions for the best areas for teambuilding, where to host your breakout sessions and to give and tech support which may be required.
Fuel your guests right
Good nutrition fuels the brain, aids concentration and boosts energy levels. Cognitive nutrition is all about eating the right foods to help the brain reach optimum functioning. As reported by wellness expert and nutritionist Penny Weston, to help improve brain power and health, we need to avoid food that are high in fat and sugar. Foods that improve the brains memory and focus include fatty fish, which helps the brain to build nerve cells.
De Vere’s Smart Space menus are available across the entire portfolio and have been developed with nutritionist support to ensure delegates get exactly what they need to keep them focused, energised and productive.
If you’re looking for something a bit fun or different, many of De Vere’s properties offer food van hire, including Dog & Waffle at De Vere Beaumont Estate, an impressive 18th-century mansion house set within 40-acres of Berkshire parkland.
Make it mindful
As an addition to event bookings, De Vere offer daily wellbeing sessions including yoga and Pilates classes. Weston agrees that with all this hot weather, there’s nothing more demoralising that sitting indoors. That’s why it’s important to get outdoors when you can.
According to Weston, sunshine naturally boosts production of your feel-good hormones, which helps to boost your overall morale and energy. That’s why our vast parklands with outdoor trails provide the perfect backdrop for walking meetings, or a stroll during breakout sessions. De Vere has also launched a Strava club which includes exclusive ‘Wellbeing at Heart’ challenges that are suitable for all abilities and perfect for making the most of the great outdoors.
De Vere Cotswold Water Park, set amongst 152 lakes that make up the Cotswold Water Park area is surrounded by peaceful nature trails where delegates can absorb the tranquillity by the water. At De Vere Wokefield Estate, a dog sitting service is available so delegates can bring their four-legged companion along for some outdoor enjoyment. And there’s no need to worry about getting muddy; Hunter boots are available for delegates to borrow at all our properties.
For nature lovers, De Vere Tortworth Court is home to a 30-acre estate where you’ll find a Victorian arboretum with more than 300 plant and tree specimens, created in 1853 by the 3rd Earl of Ducie – a keen horticulturalist – which remains one of the greatest arboretums in the British Isles.
Weatherproof your plan
Even though we’re lucky enough to be in the middle of a heatwave right now, the one thing we can’t promise is that the weather will hold out, so it’s always best to weatherproof your event.
Across our portfolio we have a host of event spaces that open directly onto the grounds, such as the newly refurbished Terrace Suite at De Vere Wokefield Estate, which can host up to 500 guests and provides a flexible space where guests can wander between the indoors and outside on the private balcony overlooking the lawn and lake.
If you want to keep the event outdoors but just want a contingency plan for bad weather then De Vere Horsley Estate has a large marquee space, which can host up to 500 guests. Similarly, De Vere Cotswold Water Park’s newly refurbished The Kingfisher Suite, can host up to 370 guests and can be split into three for smaller groups. The suite also offers direct access to an outdoor decking area, with an adjoining bar, providing views across the private lake, and really helping to bring the outdoors in.
