Learn to Ice Sculpt

A great ice sculpting night was had by all getting to grips with Samuri tools, blocks of frozen water and some creative imagination at our Clients Evening hosted at the Hilton Hotel, Cobham, Surrey.

Our profressional sculptors Jamie and Duncan introduced the art of sculpting, a little history while displaying a few techniques with the tools.

Then it was a little preparation time with the draw board for the teams of 2 before creating their wine cooler in the 1 hour alloted time.

The team event always generates an electric atmosphere, everyone was immersed in the activity. Jamie and Duncan roved around the room handing out tips and ideas as the hour passed.

At the end of the event we had 10 impressive sculptures on display, living, changing objects of art all very beautiful. Duncan then had the difficult decision on who to award the prizes to for;

Most Creative, Most Difficult Attempted and Best Ice Sculptures.

The Best Sculpture was Mr Carrot who not only had mushrooms for eyes, carrot for a nose but had also consumed a full bottle of wine, including the bottle!! See picture above and take a close look.

During the presentation awards drinks were served and everyone took time to view each others creations. A lovely evening which was well served by the staff and team at the Hilton Hotel.

Thank you for everyone that came along, we hope everyone enjoyed the evening.

If you are interested in organsing a team activity with a real wow factor, then please contact

Paul @ Cinnamon-active.com

Tel: 0845 330 8584

E: paul@cinnamon-active.com

Cinnamon active 2008 Events to Date

Cinnamon is a spice..... And as we all know "variety is the spice of life"
No doubt, the programme of events we have delivered in the first half of 2008 has been varied.

Many of our regular clients have returned and Tracey and Coral have been busy delivering a host of events for clients such as Unilever, Lloyds TBS, ICI, Barclays, Royal Sun Alliance and Accenture.

We have undertaken Fencing in the stunning grounds of a Henry VIII Hunting Lodge.

Surfing and Coasteering in Newquay with a rad night out in the coolest bars.

Celebration Dinners with harpist and singing waiters who lead the crowd a merry go around by starting an argument about who is the better singer of Happy Birthday before breaking into the repotoire of classical opera tunes. Which has the room on its feet and some on their chairs too!!

A suprise Cook Workshop with the group welcomed with a champagne and canape on arrival followed by wine tasting. Then the suprise of having to prepare their own dinner under the guidance of our excellent chefs. The end result was a sumpteous meal with great wine and very merry clients.

We designed a quiz in double quick time for the London Duck Tour which collected the clients from their offices, completed the tour with quiz and dropped them at the restaurant 1 Lombard Street.

Its a Knockout in the Midlands was as usual mad fun and very wet with giant inflatable games, giant costumes which left giant grins on the faces of all 60 participants.

North Wales has figured prominately with its range of excellent of activities and the fun team activity The North Wales Team Challenge. There has been a charity whitewater rafting event, high ropes challenge and numerous multi-activity days featuring motorised activities, clay pigeon shooting, watersports, raft building, go kart grand prixs, paintball, quad biking..... phew! Its exhausting just listing the activities.

All of our events have been supported by Richard and Steve our Field Event Managers who have been present to oversee all elements of the event. They ensure accommodation and meeting facilities are prepared, transfers are ready to go and everyone has refreshments. But mainly they make sure everyone is having a great time.

Well, as a big goofy rabbit would say... "Thats all for now folks"

Enjoy the rest of the Summer.

Paul

Cinnamon active
http://www.cinnamon-active.com/
Tel: 00 44 (0) 208 979 0331
E: info@cinnamon-active.com

Design an effective Meeting + Activity

Over the past 5 years we have seen the popularity of combining an activity with a meeting grow and grow. It is now accepted to host a meeting and add an activity to the event as a reward, team bonding activity or ice breaker.
The format can be very effective and deliver excellent opportunities for companies to maximise their Return on Investment (ROI).

However in many cases companies fail to see / take the opportunities that these events can have due short lead in times or just inadequate planning.

Here are 7 points to consider when you planning your next meeting.


7 Point Plan
Plan in advance
Budget time as well as money
Structure your event
Invite customers
Stay overnight
Travel away from the office
Do it again

Plan in advance
This will allow you to gain maximum value for your spend.
There will be more availability for the right accommodation and activities.
You will be able to build expectation of the event and plan how you can organise post event activities as a way of extending the impact of the event.
You have time to organise all the little detail which has such an impact, it could be a goody bag or sending a postcard of the destination. Little things that cost pennies but take you miles. Add the event details and pictures to your website, tell the world what you do. Advertise your company culture it has a positive effective.


Budget time and money
Give your event time, try not to shoehorn an event into an afternoon or evening. Give the team time to unwind, relax and spend time together.

Structure your event
Maximise the structure of the event to include a meeting. It is an effective opportunity to get a message across, perhaps a product launch, new initiative or business review. Finish the meeting with an uplifting message, perhaps a staff reward or incentive or just a "Thank You"

Organise the activity after the meeting.

Invite Customers
While this must be managed correctly (it has the opportunity to be damaging!), it is a great way to strengthen relationships and enhance your business profile when handled correctly.

Stay Overnight
Yes it may double the cost of the event, but it will multiply the effectiveness of the money spent 10 fold. More social downtime with opportunity to share the days experiences and tell stories of superhuman endeavors!

Travel away from the office
Get away from the normal surroundings, escape to the country, it is amazing the impact of being outdoors in beautiful surroundings will have. Events, activities and accommodation are also better value for money.

Do it again
The effectiveness of any message is repetition and so it is with events as well.
Regular events (can be every 6 months) build staff loyalty (we all know how much its costs to find new staff!), motivates individuals, builds teams and creates your company culture to those working for you and also those potential employees and customers.


For more information on how to maximise the ROI on your next event please call

Paul Maung-Maung
Cinnamon active
Tel: 0845 330 8584
email: paul@cinnamon-active.com
web: www.cinnamon-active.com

Cinnamon active are a specialist activity adventure event management company since 1996

Christmas Party Ideas... Is it too early to start planning?

Scary as it sounds, Christmas is in the thoughts of many Event Organisers as we look to put programmes and ideas together for clients. The key is availability on selected dates such as Friday or Saturdays leading upto the Christmas holidays which are obviously at a premium.

Certainly the earlier you can set the planning wheels in motion, the more choice and availability that will be open to you. The second decision is what to do with the team/company this year - creative ideas for Christmas are never easy to come by.

However, Cinnamon active can refresh those Christmas events


Examples of Cinnamon active Christmas ideas
Race Night with jockey hats, room themed, Tote Bookies with Dinner at local race course for that touch of authenticity.
Race Night more information


Ice Sculpting activity is a great opportunity for guests to try something totally unique. The finished product makes a stunning backdrop for dinner and a great topic of conversation.
This activity can be taken into many venues if you have already booked dinner.
Ice Sculpting Christmas Event more information


London by Land Sea and Air for those looking at seeing London from a different perspective, which can also be combined with ice skating at Somerset House.
London by Land Sea and Air more information


Cook your own Christmas Dinner. If you have a team with a sense of humour, then inviting them out for Christmas dinner to be found that they have to cook there own, we think is amusing!
More importantly it is a superb way for everyone to interact and we guarantee that the evening will include a Cordon Bleu meal cooked by your own fair hands. Guaranteed...
Cook your own Chrsitmas Dinner more information


Well this is just a little "taster" for you to consider, definately not run of the mill Christmas parties. If you wish to discuss your 2008 Christmas event, please contact us.

Tel: 0208 979 0331
email: info@cinnamon-active.com
W: http://www.cinnamon-active.com/

Bushcraft Team Activity How does it work?

Bushcraft, Survival, Boot Camp - its packaged in many different ways and there are many variations on the theme. Essentially the "new" Bushcraft is aimed at fun corporate team building and is based on the fundementals of survival:

Shelter - Fire - Water - Food

Scavenging through the undergrowth looking for twigs, grubs and strange looking berries, has become all the rage in the team building market. Escapism is generally top of the list for companies, a getaway from urbanisation to refresh and invigorate the mind and body. And of course some light hearted banter.

Ray Mears has erased much of the tree hugging image so long associated with bushcraft and survival. Bushcraft has become an exhilarating team building activity that everyone will enjoy and more importantly - be able to participate.

Where can you do Bushcraft?
The activity can be operated at venues throughout, depending upon the severity and challenge you wish to set. The basic Bushcraft activity can be set up in a small wooded copse and include shelter preparation, fire lighting, scavengering and food preparation. This can be located in hotel grounds or Brecon Beacons.

How long is the activity?
Like all corporate events, the duration and activity can be tailored to suit or if you want to throw people into the deep end - leave it to us!!

How does it work?
The event can be organised on one team working together or a number of teams learning the skills, prior to an end of activity competitve head to head challenge.

The activity can last from 2 hours or extend to include an overnight stay in "heres one I prepared earlier" shelters. And if you get lonely at night you can always hug a tree!

What clothing is required
Here we recommend technical Arctic condition outer garments, extreme weather head gear and a nice cosy pair of fingerless mitts! Joking aside old warm clothing, sturdy footwear and a windproof/waterproof jacket is suitable. High heels are not...

Luxury is optional
We can include a second night in luxury accommodation to offset the camping and also include a range of other activites to combine with bushcraft. Depending upon your location.

The event can be arranged a meeting or conference and makes an ideal "ice breaker" activity to breakdown barriers and encourage communication.

Other related Cinnamon active Team Challenge Events

North Wales Challenge
Brecon Challenge
Harry Potter Challenge
Its a Knockout

For more information contact Cinnamon active
Tel: 0845 330 8584
e: info@cinnamon-active.com

Or

www.cinnamon-active.com

Hunt the Bunny

Lent is over so a little indulgence is on the cards!

We offer you the opportunity to hunt for the bunny Fluffikins on the Cinnamon active website and earn yourself a chocolate treat. Fluffikins is easily recognisable as he has big teeth, holding 2 Easter eggs and looks totally out of place!!


Once you have located him, email us the page link and your postal details and we will send you something a little tasty. Yum

Entries are one per company and this little bit of fun will be open to entries until 15th April.

So good hunting and go find the little ball of fluff....... go to Cinnamon active website


Send the location of Fluffikins to sales@cinnamon-active.com

w: Cinnamon-active.com
t: 0845 330 8584

Chamonix Meeting Destination

Inspirational – World Class - Fun

Make your next business meeting or incentive trip - interactive.
Infuse an activity into your event at a world class venue which inspires and rewards the team all the ingredients for a successful event.

Chamonix is a world famous Alpine destination for wintersports and summer mountain sports, dominated by Mont Blanc. Chamonix ticks all the boxes for a great activity event for an Incentive Trip or Active Meeting with activities.

The Alpine mountain terrain evolved over thousands of years is a playground of deep gorges ideal for Canyoning, fast flowing rivers for white water rafting, rugged crags for rock climbing and glaciers for those looking to learn ice climbing with ice axes and crampons. No previous experience is required and all equipment is included.

Chamonix has an extensive selection of accommodation from chocolate box log chalets to impressive traditional 5 star hotels with meeting facilities, all centrally located.

Chamonix town centre is compact and offers a range of restaurants serving up wholesome mountain cuisine such as Pierrades (hot stone) Fondue and Raclette (cheese). The nightlife runs until the early hours, with a casino and music venues.
For those seeking a little retail therapy the town has more boutiques for the fashion conscious.

All in all Chamonix is a great destination that caters for a cross section of people and easily accessible with frequent flights into Geneva, followed by an easy one hour transfer.

If you wish to know more on the Chamonix or our other activity adventure destinations, please check out our website or contact Cinnamon active.

Tel: 0845 330 8584

email: info@cinnamon-active.com

www.cinnamon-active.com

Hilton Hotel Cobham Team Event

Cinnamon active have teamed up with the Hilton Hotel in Cobham and developed a fun team activity in the grounds. The event is a 2-3 hour activity perfect to combine with a meeting or as an ice breaker.

Teams undertake to explore the grounds in search of a map which will show the position of the Golden Egg. Each team has a command table and is briefed, given a budget to purchase equipment and supplies which will assist their cause before planning and heading out in search of the lost map. The event concludes with all teams going head to head in a grand finale.

The minimum group size for this event is 10 people.

For more information on this event and availability please call Cinnamon active 0845 330 8584