We offer a fresh perspective on teambuilding by helping organisations reconnect, strengthen relationships and plan for the future through our unique Day in the Woods offer.
In any organisation, people can become defined by their roles, seniority, and the structures of their work environments. Sometimes individuals will project a tightly controlled work-self, which can make it hard to connect with others on a deeper or more authentic level. Deadlines, longer working hours, home working and stress means there can be little time and space within an organisation for people to get to know one another on a more human level. Ultimately this can impact how people perform within teams.
A day of creative team time in the beautiful Ashlyn Woods, just a few miles from Cambridge, will give everyone a completely fresh perspective. We provide slow time and a unique space to reflect, re-connect, and re-ignite your curiosity and imagination. You will leave with renewed strength and energy, greater sense of personal power, and a deeper connection with colleagues.
With delicious food, warm fires, comfortable chairs, and fresh coffee, this is team time without the formal structure and pressure imposed by the more usual corporate days out. Each day is unique and planned to suit your needs. Creative and collaborative activities led by a CCI artist will be interspersed with time to talk together around the fire and opportunities to walk and explore the woods around you. Here is an example of a model agenda.
We work with multinationals, start-ups, schools and social enterprises and will arrange a briefing call to agree your aims before shaping a plan for your day in the woods. Contact us for more information.
Food
All our days are catered by the wonderful Cambridge Sustainable Food, a local charity that campaigns for food justice. They create nourishing and delicious snacks, lunches and teas for these days from locally and ethically sourced ingredients. We can discuss what works best for your team and all menus can be adapted to suit your needs.
Kitchen & shelter
There are generous spaces under cover if the weather isn’t smiling on us and a fully equipped kitchen with fresh water so that we can cater for all your needs.
Toilets
There are plenty of composting toilets each enjoying its own unique woodland view.
…and the fire
Fires are essential for these days out in the woods. They will be lit for your arrival and there for you throughout the day.
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Thank you both for facilitating a day that allowed us to think afresh, discover and laugh together in such a beautiful setting. All of this undoubtedly contributed to a stronger team dynamic, allowing us to go further into some big challenges of change and heavy workload more confidently. It was truly a day of rich learning and enjoyment, and we are deeply grateful to Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination.
Alasdair Cant, ACA Training, September 2021
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Holding our annual team away day at the woods was a great decision. It took us right out of our comfort zone but in a calm and enabling way. We learned about each other and connected on a deeper level.
Sarah Reakes, Managing Director KISS
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The life of a teacher and the experience of being part of a school is fast and frantic. We wanted all of our teachers to remember what it feels like to slow down and be reminded that less is more. Spending a day in the woods did just this. The gentle invitations to take part were greeted enthusiastically. We felt renewed and reinvigorated and ready to face the term ahead, and we went away thinking that this was the best INSET day ever!
Paula Ayliffe, co-head teacher, Mayfield Primary School
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A wonderful day on so many levels. What a privilege to be in such a perfectly imperfect place, to go back to basics and have the headspace to be productive and connect away from usual connection ways (ie. Screens). The CCI team were so welcoming and authentic which we loved. The day helped us think much more expansively – slowly and happily – about the work we do, free from the difficulty of it. We’re looking forward to coming back.
Beth Green, CEO, Centre 33
