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On Friday, 6th of December, we held Showcase’s Annual Winter Conference at the De Vere Beaumont Estate in Old Windsor alongside Showcase PSR and Renovo. Each year, our goal is to make the event bigger and better than before… after 18 years of hosting, that challenge has only grown!
However, as we’ve come to realise, the bigger the challenge, the greater the reward. After a weekend to recover from months of preparation, our Events Team returned to the office to a flood of positive feedback, including one comment that perfectly encapsulated the day: “The whole day ran like clockwork, and many colleagues have said this was the best one they’ve ever attended!”
This year’s conference was a perfect example of the aspirations we have each year: to achieve a balance of team bonding, shared learning, and making a positive impact. As our team has grown into the hundreds since the first Winter Conference in 2007, maintaining our core objectives – strengthening teamwork, fostering collaboration, supporting sustainability, and contributing to charitable causes – has become more important than ever. We want everyone to leave the event feeling more connected to their role and colleagues, while also knowing they’ve made a true impact.
The day began with attendees arriving from our offices across the country. Warm reunions quickly set the tone for the day ahead. We welcomed new staff members, inviting them to introduce themselves and participate in a light-hearted icebreaker activity where their chosen partner had to hum a movie song for them to guess. While the participants were initially filled with hesitation, it wasn’t long before laughter filled the air. It was a simple but effective start, demonstrating that teamwork can be built through fun and shared experiences – and that nobody knows the Superman theme tune!
With the room engaged and spirits lifted, we moved into the presentations from each department, where managers shared updates on their teams’ successes over the past year. From design and marketing to sustainability and HR, each speaker took the opportunity to highlight the hard work and achievements of their teams. The applause and recognition that followed were a testament to the power of teamwork.
Our interactive sessions for the day, focused on sustainability. Staff were split into teams and given prompts related to key sustainability topics like Decarbonisation, Education, Waste, and Procurement. Each team had to create and perform a scene, with the other teams guessing the topic. The props – ranging from inflatable palm trees to fake moustaches – brought a playful and creative edge to the session. Not only was this an entertaining exercise, but it also reinforced the importance of understanding these critical issues across the whole team.
The afternoon’s highlight was our surprise charity team-building activity: constructing performance wheelchairs for More Leisure Community Trust (MLCT), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to making sports accessible for people of all abilities. MLCT’s representative, Charlotte Thornton White gave an inspiring presentation, highlighting the challenges faced by the organisation and the pressing need for updated equipment. It was made clear that the wheelchairs we were preparing to build would have a huge impact, enabling MLCT to launch a wheelchair basketball team and give more individuals the opportunity to participate in physical activities.
The activity was fast-paced and energising, as teams raced against the clock to assemble their wheelchairs. In addition to constructing the wheelchairs, teams participated in mini-challenges to earn the wheelchair components. The challenges included creative photo tasks and high-energy wheelchair simulations, where teams competed in 1v1 virtual races. The room was buzzing with excitement as teams worked together to complete their tasks.
The event reached its peak during the wheelchair relay basketball finale, which was judged by Charlotte from MLCT, a wheelchair user herself who saw some very interesting techniques! The cheers of encouragement created an atmosphere of both camaraderie and friendly competition. The winning team was announced, the celebration was joyful – but the true victory came from knowing that the wheelchairs would help empower individuals with disabilities and create lasting change in the community. The winners were awarded sustainable reusable medals that could be planted into wildflowers. Our sustainability initiatives were also extended by planting a tree on behalf of each attendee, making sure that the positive impact of the conference continued to grow long after the event had ended.
Reflecting upon the impact of our donations, Charlotte Thornton White said: “Thank you again for the donation of the 10 multisport wheelchairs, I cannot express how much of a difference these will make for disabled people accessing physical activity…”
To conclude the day, we changed into our best dress and we reconvened in the venue’s stunning 1870 chapel, where we enjoyed a three-course meal. To the team’s surprise, the evening featured a performance by ‘singing waiters,’ adding an unexpected twist to the evening. The festivities continued with singing and dancing, bringing the day to a fun and lively close.
As we reflect on Showcase’s Annual Winter Conference 2024, we’re proud of what we achieved together throughout the year. The success of the event is a direct reflection of the dedication and passion of our entire team.
We look forward to continuing our growth, taking on new challenges, and making next year’s all-round efforts even greater! Until then, we’ll cherish the connections we’ve strengthened, the lessons we’ve learned, and the positive change we’ve made together in the spirit of teamwork and community.
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