Fresh Tracks Team Talk - June 2007

Corporate Social Responsibility
We currently have three Central London projects on offer for completion during the next three months, all just a short walk from Waterloo station. Since our inception in 1991 we have worked to a mission of 'Wealth creation for distribution'. Along the way we have made friends with a number of social enterprises that build homes for the homeless, playgrounds for the young and havens for wildlife. In recent months, both Coca-Cola and RHM have helped make a difference along the way, transforming scout camps, community centres and run-down houses into inspiring places, which in turn transform communities.

Team building programmes present an excellent opportunity to 'give something back' whilst also getting a healthy return on investment as staff explore their own values at the same time as transforming a community facility.

Pick a Project
The first and largest task is to redecorate a community sports hall and the surrounding rooms and corridors. This multi-use facility desperately needs to be brightened up and updated to accommodate sports, arts and conference events. We estimate a team of at least 20 people could complete this in a day, and some of their number will need to be prepared to work at height on scaffolding.

On a much smaller scale, between 6 and 12 enthusiasts are needed to turn the run down toilets in the same building into luxurious modern conveniences.

Finally, just down the street opposite the Imperial War Museum there's a building in need of conversion from a health centre into a youth centre. This ongoing project can be broken down into bite sized chunks for teams of up to 20 to tackle on a day by day basis.

What's Involved
To give an idea of the type of work involved in these projects, we have detailed two recent projects below.

Earleywood Scout Centre Project, Berkshire
Tasks included: - clearing of grass areas, building pathways, clearing streams/ditches, collecting litter, composting leaves, habitat creation, painting of scout buildings. A member of the Earleywood Scout Centre Committee was on hand at all times.

Comments on the day included "Hard work and laughed all day", "Tiring, but what an achievement by all the team", "Great sense of satisfaction - good to be putting a smile on people's faces".

Cowbridge Hall Project, Hertford The hall at this town-centre location was in a poor state of disrepair. As part of Hertford United Reformed Church the hall is used as a community resource by a range of community groups. While funds and volunteer labour had been provided for some of the work, the project had not been completed, mainly due to lack of funds.

Tasks included: - painting, cleaning, general repairs and clearing the corridor areas and hall for later works. A ceremony was planned for late afternoon with local representatives of various community groups that use the hall invited, along with the Mayor and local press. The day's activities were filmed so that the team's progress and hard work was recorded as a memento.

Contact us If your team is interested in taking part in one of these, or to find about other projects, please contact us. We will supply details on projects available, provide all the tools and equipment needed, liaise with the community representative, and arrange catering (and accommodation/transport if required). Similarly, if you know of a project in your area but are not sure how to go about organising the work, give us a call and we'll manage the project for you please contact us on 01920 822 220 or click here to e-mail us.

If you are interested in finding out more information on our
Corporate Social Responsibility Projects
visit: www.freshtracks.co.uk/corporatesocialresponsibility.htm
or call: 01920 822 220

Book Review
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Can you recommend a Fresh Trainee? Fresh Tracks is looking to recruit an event management trainee. If you know of a bright, enthusiastic graduate or school leaver who is keen to begin a career in the training and events industry, please encourage them to drop us a line with their CV mail@freshtracks.co.uk or visit www.freshtracks.co.uk/workwithus.htm.

Some Recent Fresh Tracks EventsVenue Finding - For a graduate training scheme for Acergy
Cooking up a Storm - Culinary team building for British American Tobacco
Multi Activity Day - All action for BDO Stoy Hayward
Chocolate Challenge - Tasty business simulation for GlaxoSmithKline
Team Tasks - Activity based learning for Maybank
Black Cab Chase - London treasure hunt for Yahoo!

Fresh Tracks "Creating better workplaces"
Team Building, Motivational Activities, Event Management Solutions
Web: www.freshtracks.co.uk
Tel: 01920 822 220
Email: mail@freshtracks.co.uk

‘teams that play together, work together’