On Thursday, February 20th, 2025, our UK team enjoyed a big team outing in Manchester, as one of our bi-annual meet-ups. This event allowed for our teams in Slaithwaite, Glasgow and London to meet up and socialise as one. The evening featured go-karting, a meal, karaoke, and an overnight stay. Our team also filled in spare time with strolls around Manchester and visits to local bars and pubs, including a visit to Canal Street.
Our first destination was go-karting at the Victoria Team Sport, where we were split into two groups and dressed in our race suits before we sat down for our safety briefing. Unfortunately, this ended on a disappointing note as our go-karting session was cancelled due to water on the indoor track. This was particularly frustrating for those of us who were already seated in our karts, ready to race. However, this didn’t dampen our spirits as we took it as an opportunity to head to the hotel early to freshen up before the meal and share a drink in the hotel bar.
Next, we gathered for a team meal at the PUPA bar and restaurant. It was a great opportunity to enjoy our meal and get to know one another better, especially since many of us were meeting face-to-face for the first time despite having had numerous Teams calls. This gathering prompted discussions about services and potential development methods, along with general chit-chat and sharing of stories. We also celebrated Toby Larnach’s 24th birthday with a slice of cheesecake and the obligatory Happy Birthday song. Once we finished eating, we announced the winners of our BeOnHand CO2 competition, the Slawit Squad, who successfully reduced 336.35kg of CO2 through various environmental missions on the OnHand app. The meal concluded with our inaugural Blake Clough awards ceremony, where we presented certificates and bags of Galaxy mini eggs to the winners, including categories like “King Of Emoji Reactions,” “Star Of The Year,” and “Networking Ninja.”
Our final stop was Boom Battle Bar for 2 hours of karaoke, along with the bar that allowed for lots of rounds of shots, including Baby Guinness and Sambuca. We were separated into two rooms allowing more space for those who wanted to put on a full performance and showcase their dance moves. The team put on amazing concerts in both rooms, including performances of Disney classics such as “A Whole New World” from Aladin and “You’re Welcome” from Moana. We were also serenaded with the likes of Love Story, Gimme Gimme Gimme and Rule The World and amazed by the renditions of Because I Got High and Billy Jean. Once our time was up, we played a few games of shuffleboard and had a go in the photobooth before heading out.
We ended the night with an overnight stay in the Hampton by Hilton in the Northern Quarter and called in the event with breakfast the next morning (for those of us who made it down in time).
