The Aberfield team recently took the short train journey to the historic city of York for our annual away day – a chance to come together, celebrate our successes and look to the future. Food, fun and friendship were key priorities for the day. From talking business to talking (just about) anything and everything, an inspiring and memorable day was had by all.

9am – 11am

Meeting at Aberfield HQ for coffee and croissants, the day started with new mum Erin updating the team on the joys of parenthood and sleep deprivation. Breakfast was also a chance to meet our latest recruit Emily Mukherjee who joined us for the day prior to her imminent start date.Directors Ian and Tim gave an overview of our last financial year (another record performance!), and outlined opportunities for the coming year.

Next up was an interactive session which saw the team explore their ‘dream’ clients. It was great to see common themes emerging. From food and drink to heritage attractions – we’re coming for you!

Noon – 2pm

Our arrival in York saw us head straight to York Minster Refectory for a spot of lunch. As a much loved Aberfield client York Minster holds a special place in our hearts so it was lovely to dine in such beautiful surroundings. Excellent food was followed by an entertaining Aberfield awards ceremony, compiled by Bec and Ben. With categories ranging from Best Use of Content (Ian – UKREiiF fashion post) to Most Likely to Exceed Their Holiday Allowance (Tim), the pride of all our winners was palpable.

2pm – 4pm / 5pm / 6pm (finish time dependent on ability)

Full from our hearty lunch, it was a short walk to The Shambles to break into three teams and dive into an interactive version of Race Across The World York.

The superb immersive game by CityDays was played via WhatsApp, with teams being sent messages setting out fiendish riddles and questions about the city’s history and landmarks, before directing contestants through winding ginnels and streets to cosy pubs to solve a series of challenging puzzles.

It’s fair to say that some teams fared better than others. In fact, as Natalie’s euphoric team basked in their glory with a well-deserved and relaxing pint in the final pub after completing their final task, it quickly became apparent one team was aimlessly running around York with half their challenges still to do and having racked up 200 penalty points.
They shall (thankfully for them) remain nameless….

6pm – 9pm

Back out of the drizzle, we reconvened at Malmaison’s rooftop Japanese restaurant and sushi bar, Sora. Over cocktails, excellent food and stunning views, we enjoyed loads more laughs and good conversation.Leaving feeling energised and inspired, we made our way back home reflecting on what had been a magical day and excited about what’s to come.