Microsoft UK asked us to develop an idea for a day out for all their UK employees which would appeal to all staff –those with families and those without children. They were expecting 2500 people to attend – and so we set out to find the best possible venue, catering and entertainment. The brief was that the day should be innovative, but also provide value for money.
We struck upon the idea of Warwick Castle - convenient for all the Microsoft UK offices, a venue which is well known throughout the UK, which has appeal for children and adults alike and has superb existing infrastructure.
We were able to privatise ‘The Pageant Field’, a huge area of the castle grounds with direct access to the car parks and castle facilities. A marquee was built to house the huge number of catering stations, and to form part of the wet weather contingency plan (which also included 2500 pak-a-macs!).
Chilli Peppers Caterers were brought in to create a picnic and BBQ. The food was delicious – there was something for everyone including a huge array of hog roast, meats, salads, breads and cakes, followed by afternoon tea and ice-creams. A beer garden serving beer and Pimms was also built to keep the adults entertained!
The entertainment we organised on The Pageant Field ranged from knight school, medieval re-enactors, face painting, archery, falconry displays, clay pigeon shooting, circus school and a children’s play area, to photograph printing and the themed DVDs shown on the coaches which were organised to and from Warwick – all of which were very popular.
No stone was left unturned, and special areas were built for baby feeding and changing and our logistics, security and H&S team ensured that the day went without a hitch due to meticulous planning and on-site patrols. The team at Warwick Castle were brilliant to work with, and the day was a tremendous success!
