Teams from across Beard’s five regional offices came together at Wrington Warren for a team-building and wellbeing day during Mental Health Awareness Week, with more than 70 colleagues enjoying outdoor activities and friendly competition.
Half the group took part in adrenaline-fuelled paintballing sessions, while others enjoyed a more relaxed woodland walk and treasure hunt through the 197-acre site near Bristol Airport.
After a morning of activities, everyone gathered for a hog roast lunch, with axe throwing, archery and a fiercely contested nail-banging competition, which saw people challenged to hit a nail into wood with the chisel end of a brick hammer, in the fewest hits- congratulations to the winner Chris Styles from our services team (pictured below with Paula).
The event was organised by Paula Baleson, Beard’s social value manager, and her team, encouraging colleagues and guests, including charity Urban Pursuit, to take time away from their busy schedules to connect, collaborate and enjoy the outdoors together.
Paula Baleson, Social Value Manager
Paula added: “We look forward to holding more events like this in the future to ensure everyone across the business has the opportunity to enjoy the incredible space we have here.”
Beard purchased Wrington Warren in 2022 as part of our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint through carbon sequestration. The woodland is actively managed through a programme of felling and thinning, with all felled areas replanted on a 50-year cycle.
Alongside its environmental benefits, the woodland also supports wellbeing initiatives and community engagement projects. Charities and non-profit organisations regularly use the site for outdoor activities, including Urban Pursuit, which delivers programmes designed to support young people.
Earlier this year, the charity ran a pilot programme at Wrington Warren introducing life skills to a group of young people disengaged from education, supporting them to successfully return to mainstream schooling. You can read more about this work here.
Learn more about our approach to social value.
