Team Building Through Client Entertainment

By Mark Richards

There was a time when the corporate "team building" event consisted of a group visit to the nearest pub or, at very best, a meal at a basic local restaurant (more often than not followed by a group visit to the nearest pub).

The writer is not by any means a critic of public houses, neither of events held therein. However today in the twenty-first century we find ourselves reflecting upon some more novel ideas for getting people together, having some fun and creating bonds between people who may not ordinarily socialise together, or move around in the same circles.

Visits to theme parks, weekend trips, sporting events, paintball, sailing and yacht charters are just a small few ideas which have found some currency in more recent times. The concept is that if groups of people can share challenges, and get together to resolve problems or develop strategies as a team then it will help them to do the same in the work environment. "Bonding" was very much a buzz word not too many years ago. Nowadays a similar concept falls under the generic umbrella of "team building".

An increasingly popular manifestation of the team building idea is the semi-competitive sporting event, "sporting" because it involves some amount of physical effort as well as an element of healthy rivalry and "semi-competitive" because it is, after all, only a bit of fun.

We have already mentioned the game of paintball, and there are a host of derivatives of the same idea such as Laser Tag, that is paintball without the mess or pain. Quad biking is another endeavour with a pleasing element of competitiveness that has found a great deal of favour amongst some in recent years.

Another idea, most likely less well known but certainly very popular amongst those who have participated in it, is sword fighting.

Sword fighting, or sword fencing, is not nearly as scary as it sounds. Based on the sport of fencing itself, sword fighting "reinvents a noble art for the modern age". Qualified coaches arrive armed not only with offensive weapons but also with the required kit and clothing to promise a good, clean, spirited contest within a safe environment.

As well as providing an excellent source of entertainment, be it for the adult corporate event or for the children's party, sword fighting provides a valuable education and some training in an acquired skill. It is usually fun, with no heavy clothing or equipment involved. What hardware there is is highly portable, which means events can be held at a whole variety of locations without the need for any pre-installed machinery or facilities.

When considering a theme for a promotional event or team building enterprise sword fencing presents a highly attractive option.


Mark Richards is a professional writer working for The Middle Man, a business promotion service using its experience and expert knowledge of marketing strategy to generate important new business for its clients at a surprisingly low cost.

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