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A Grand Day Out - BW Picnic Tour 2001
The annual picnic has become a tradition within Barnett Waddingham. This year our offices selected very different venues to relax with their families and friends. This was not without a degree of competition and pride. Rachel Evans decided to do the grand tour, taking in the contrasting atmosphere and tastes in food and drink. Noted for her Jilly Goolden opinions, Rachel compares the regional specialities and entertainment available.
First up was Cheltenham who returned to a favoured venue: the Cotswold farm of a staff member's family. The bouncy castle was exercised thoroughly by the younger generation, who also enjoyed a treasure hunt around the farm. The grown-ups excelled themselves by producing an extravagant spread of home-made salads and some of the men were allowed to practise their caveman instincts around the barbecue. The sight of so many colleagues and their families reclining on the grassy banks in the sunshine, sipping Pimms and tucking into fresh country fare, was truly a pleasure to behold.
Next came Leeds, who chose the memorable Yorkshire Sculpture Park for their picnic. It was a warm and breezy day but the excellently sited picnic area enabled all to enjoy the ample supply of food - big eaters, these Yorkshire folk - without having a hair ruffled. Lunch was followed by a stroll around the sculpture park, and regrettably a small spattering of rain, to see the superb display of well-positioned Henry Moore and contemporary sculptures. The adjoining Bretton Country Park also afforded excellent views and walks for later in the day.
The London and Luxembourg offices decided to combine efforts for their picnic and met in Greenwich Park to enjoy stunning views of London. Lunch consisted of French bread, cheese, pâté and grapes, washed down with a wide selection of European beverages. As the Park band struck up, the BW contingent set about a fairly relaxed game of softball, which was much appreciated by those whose picnic rugs were perhaps not as damp-proof as they had hoped. Afterwards, there was still time to enjoy being a tourist and to visit the Park's many attractions, including the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark.
Last but by no means least came the Amersham attempt to test staff navigational skills in torrential rain by holding their picnic at an amazing maize maze in neighbouring Oxfordshire. Another ample spread of food preceded the challenge to get round the farm maze in the shortest possible time. The maze had an interplanetary theme - including a decontamination unit that soaked slow-movers - and contained aliens and an icepop-dispensing space ship. After completing the maze (without looking at the map, of course) staff and families were able to lose themselves and their cash in the adjoining farm shop and garden centre.
Rachel Evans, September 2001.