Research by the country’s foremost activity provider, The Activity People, reveals a combination of tougher economic times and Government spending cuts are steering employees and companies away from traditional office Christmas parties towards more action-based activities.
The Activity People monitored corporate bookings for Christmas parties over a five-year period. The figures reveal a dramatic increase in the last two years in the number of companies booking activities such as paintball, go karting or clay pigeon shooting.
Research by YouGov in 2009 revealed that only about 40 per cent of office workers were guaranteed a Christmas party, with one in six employees contributing to the budget themselves. Rebecca Rudkin, Corporate Manager at The Activity People, believes this pressure on the Christmas party budget is forcing employees and companies to rethink their party plans.
‘More than ever before companies want value for money for their Christmas party and they want to be sure that employees enjoy it. Therefore, they are being more creative in what they are doing,’ says Rudkin.
Although the latest Government economic statistics revealed higher growth figures than expected, the planned Government spending cuts mean 2010 is likely to be another Christmas where budgets will be tight for parties.
Mark, who runs a small engineering firm in the West Midlands, is taking his team of 25 for a corporate shooting day. ‘We just wanted to do something different. We had a vote amongst our team and shooting come out top,’ says Mark
Angela, who runs a hairdressing salon in London, said: ‘We are all going karting, and having some food and drink afterwards. We are a young team and didn’t want to sit around with paper hats on. The guys are really looking forward to it.’
Rudkin says: ‘Our research shows many companies like to do something active because it relaxes people and it is simply more fun.’
The Activity People are giving every participant a £10 voucher to spend on an activity of your choice after Christmas, with Christmas and New Year bookings of 20 people or more. Just quote ref: adrenamagfreevoucher, when you book your group into any activity, and the vouchers are yours.
While football hit a spectacular own goal with Sky Sport’s presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys loosing their jobs over dismissive comments about women officials in football, Adrenamag asks if, when it comes to sexism, extreme sports can show the way forward to traditional sports like football? Unlike football, it doesn’t take long to find high-profile women at the top in the world of extreme sports. Here are some extreme sports stars who the former Sky Sports presenters may want to follow now they have more time on their hands.
1. Motor sport star Alice Powell. In January Alice Powell was named the British Woman Racing Drivers Club Elite Gold Star Winner for her success and achievement in 2010. It is the second year in succession she has won the award.
Presenting the award to the former karting star was the BBC1 Formula One TV presenter Jake Humphrey. Jake said: ‘I really do think it’s about time that women who are making waves in motor racing are recognised at the very top. So good luck in 2011.’
This year Alice hopes to compete in the Formula Renault UK Championship, which receives LIVE ITV coverage and crowds at the track that match figures of attendance at an average Premier League Football game. If you are a woman who is interested in karting and would like to know where Alice started click here.
2. Italian women clay pigeon shooters. Italy is home to some of the world’s top women clay pigeon shooters. Katiuscia Spada won the Skeet Women ISSF World Cup Final in Izmir, Turkey, in 2010. It’s not the first time the Italian police officer has been seen on the medal winners’ podium in the last three years; she won the Olympic silver medal in Beijing behind fellow Italian Chiara Cainero. Skeet is a clay pigeon discipline where clays are thrown by two machines for the shooter to kill. If you want to try clay pigeon shooting, click here.
Kristin Boese: Water sports star
3. Water sports super star, Kristin Boese. German Kristin Boese is a legend in women’s water sports. Twice women’s world kitesurfing champion, she has been nominated for world sailor of the year. The author of several books, she has also recently launched a modelling career. If you want to try water sports, click here.
4. Archery hot shot. Twenty-six year-oldNicky Hunt is targeting more medals in 2011. Finishing 2010 in number one position in the FITA world rankings, she helped the English team win the women’s compound team event then added the individual gold medal a day later. If you want to try archery click here.
5. Women skydivers. It’s known as the world’s biggest pink cloud with 181 women skydivers filling the Californian sky in 2009. Led by Kate Cooper-Jensen, one of the foremost skydivers in the world, Jump for the Cause was co-founded with Mallory Lewis, after her mother, legendary puppeteer Shari Lewis, lost her battle with cancer in 1998. Events in 1999, 2002 and 2005 raised a combined total of over $1 million and broke the previous world records with 119 women in 1999, 131 women in 2002,151 in 2005 and 181 women in 2009. If you want to try a sky dive or another extreme sport, click here.
Need a Gift that Can’t Fail to Impress? How About an Activity Passport from the Biggest Activity Network in the UK?
A beautifully presented, full-colour Adrenalin Activity Passport that you can personalise with your own message. This will probably be the most exciting gift you will give this year and it is only three clicks away from arriving by email, or you can have it delivered. It’s your choice. This store is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, so it doesn’t matter how last minute your purchase.
Established in 1995, The Activity People is now the biggest and most diverse activity network in UK with over 883 venues. So, when you give an Adreenalin Activity Passport from The Activity People, you are giving the recipient the choice of taking part in any of those activities, anywhere in the UK – an unrivalled adrenalin activities gift.
The Activity People are the preferred activity network for Visit Britain, who put their trust in them to provide activities to UK travellers together with visitors from overseas. The Activity People’s numerous locations and activity diversity means they can also provide activity-based incentive and reward schemes to leading UK companies together with activity options for event managers, gift experience companies and stag and hen organisers.
Click here to buy a full colour, Adrenalin Activity Passport that will either be delivered instantly to your email address on completion of your purchase, or delivered to you or the person receiving the gift – your choice!
West Ham United, who’ve spent most of the football reason firmly rooted to the bottom of the English Premiership table, decided to reverse their fortunes with a day’s karting and clay pigeon shooting. The team bonding session was revealed by England international striker Carlton Cole on Twitter.
Avram Grant, West Ham’s beleaguered manager, no doubt hoped to sharpen the striker’s shooting skills with a day hitting clays. No one at the club was available to comment on whether the karting laps got the team motoring or whether the team’s star player Scott Parker used the go-karting day to practise his corners, but the signs are looking good. After the team-building event, West Ham achieved their best result of the season with a win over Liverpool, to lift them off the bottom of the table for the first time. If you want to try karting click here, or clay pigeon take a shot here
‘Where can I do clay pigeon shooting?’ was a question asked by Steve, a 49-year-old fireman from the West Midlands, who has been reading Adrenamag’s articles on clay pigeon shooting. Steve, who has always wanted to shoot clays, and would like to organise a day’s shooting to celebrate his 50th birthday, also asked: ‘What simple tips can you give me about clay pigeon shooting. And should I have lessons before we go?’
Adrenamag took these queries to Tom, a 25-year veteran in teaching novices to shoot on stag-parties and corporate days out. Tom said: ‘I always say to people have a go at clay pigeon shooting – after all that’s the best lesson there is. Get the feel of the sport and see if you like it.’
‘Do you need a shot gun licence to shoot clays?’ Steve asked. ‘No,’ said Tom. ‘If you buy a gun and shoot regularly, then you will need one, but you will not need a licence for a day’s shoot.’
Tom’s tip for better clay pigeon shooting
1. Listen to advice. Very basic, but we get a lot of guys – and it is guys – in stag parties who just want to blast off. Take the time out to listen and you will be a better shot.
2. Keep an eye open. Find out which is your dominant eye – your instructor will help with this.
3. Put your whole body into it. The skill of shooting is moving smoothly – not snatching. This means moving your whole body.
4. Line up the clay. Watch the line of the clay – or bird as we say here – see how high it is above the trees, etc. That way you can track the line of flight.
5. Calm down. Shooting is about lowering the pulse and being clinical.
If you want to do clay pigeon shooting, click here.
