...to ask what we could organise that's more inclusive than sports?

[wheresmymojo]

I know I'm not being unreasonable, just looking for plenty of ideas.

I'm at our works 'summer break party' today. We're very lucky as it's a whole day, dinner/dance and overnight stay all expenses paid at a very naice five star hotel and there's no boring meetings or anything to sit through.

The social committee organise it and they've put on optional things to do through the day...

• 'Beach' volleyball
• Human fuseball
• A big inflatable assault course
• A 4 mile walk around the grounds this afternoon
• We can use the spa and/or very expensive golf course

Great. Lovely. It's a very young company, lots of people are having a lot of fun. Brilliant.

I don't like sports and have an injured knee. I thought the one 'mystery team activity' would be something less sporty but it's the inflatable assault course.

So now I'm hanging around the hotel on my own on my phone feeling like I wish I hadn't come and had just taken the free day off.

I could go into the spa but the idea of hanging out in the hot tub with colleagues (especially as I'm very, very busty in my swimming costume) is a no from me.

I'm also on the disabilities group for the company and realising what a nightmare this would be for someone with a physical disability - you can't take part in the sports, but equally may have reasons related or unrelated that mean you wouldn't want to spa either.

So next year I want to organise something for anyone who might not be able to do sports and spa or, like me, are just filled with horror by the thought of either.

What would you organise because I'm at a bit of a loss TBH?

We had an “urban games” event at a recent meeting but it wasn’t overly sporty. We had giant jenga, puzzles, things like that. You didn’t need to be fit or agile for the games.

Is there anything out there like the Krypton Factor show - where you’re exercising your brain, not your body? That would be fun and more inclusive of people who can’t do the more physical activities or don’t want to get in a tub with colleagues.

I would choose something crafts based if you want it to be inclusive.

Things focusing on sports, alcohol or competition don't suit everyone.

A works event where several people are excluded is demoralising. It defeats the object of having it in the first place. It undermines the workplace culture.

This is a BRILLIANT idea.

@AffIt 😍

@Needmorelego
Sounds fun to me too but absolutely not good for dyspraxic folk who struggle with fine motor skills like my son. He would struggle with most crafts too. However, he'd be brilliant in a quiz.

@wheresmymojo
I wouldn't go home unless you offered a good reason such as an emergency to deal with at home. Otherwise, it will look a bit rude. Have you already had the evening meal or is this tonight?

Is there anyone else hanging around who you could pal up with and go for a little walk?

You can pretend to be unwell/in pain and go home, but I think you'll probably enjoy the dinner etc and the stay? If you think you'll hate that then go, but if it's just this shame feeling at not being sporty - well fuck that, you're not at school any more, no one is judging you, some of them are probably thinking "Oh that Mojo has got the right idea, why aren't I reading instead of sweating away out here trying to impress my colleagues?"

For the record I don't have self harm scars (although like you I have big tits) and I'd still be INCREDIBLY uncomfortable about being in my cossie around my colleagues.

It's really kind and positive that you're using this experience to think how to improve things for everyone next time. I love a treasure hunt, you could do one around the house/outside on the flat if you have people who don't want to be roaming round town or up and downstairs, or can't.

Depending how many people you can do traditional party games, charades, pictionary, competition to build a X in the quickest time (even if only out of plasticine or lego as a PP suggested). Something low impact like getting a yoga instructor in who's got experience dealing with people with injuries/disabilities to do a really gentle class might also be nice for those who want to do something physical but can't hurl themselves around outside.

Oh and there are some sort of drama based games (don't ask me what, my friend teaches drama clubs and it sounds fun when she talks about, have a look online) which are kind of charades-y but a bit more fun/involving more people.

Don you really want ideas for alternatives or are you just hoping to be told its fine to go home?

Team activities we've done at work include flower arranging, cake decoration and stone painting.

We've also done some less active sports things, darts, bowls, croquet, crazy golf.

And once there was meditation and sound bathing which personally I will avoid ever doing again

We had a riverboat afternoon, with cocktails as you go on, drinks and finger-food to help yourself to and a commentary by someone from the tourism office and music. You could sit on the deck and chat and watch the world go by. And they put on a Casino inside the boat - everyone got so many chips and then you could exchange them for prizes with your 'winnings'. It was pretty good.

I went to a workshop once that showed you how to bind books. Was much more interesting than it probably sounds

at the end you make a little lined case for a matchbox

Can you not go out and watch some of the other activities, keep score or cheer or something?

You have a year presumably to plan something… maybe a scavenger hunt/puzzle solving thing with a mix of physical challenges and puzzle solving.

or a series of ‘minute to win it’ challenges (https://www.playpartyplan.com/minute-to-win-it-games-for-kids/)

I’d also look to plan some low key things that people can participate adjacent to the more sportier activities. So people are still doing activities together just not necessarily the same activity. Examples

• a sand pit next to the ‘beach’ volleyball for sandcastle building (why is beach in quotes?)
• build a marble track and have races
• build a marble miniature course next the inflatable assault course with points for tallest, fastest run, etc.

'Beach' because it's on the grass as we're near Watford...

BUT even though the beach volleyball was nowhere near it the hotel actually has a beach next to the outdoor pool!

Anyway...I found a kindred grumpy spirit or two and had a nice couple of hours chatting. We've retired to rooms now to read books and snooze and have a bit of downtime before drinks and dinner so alls well that ends well!

Definitely going to help put one or two (or three) of these activities on for next year though!

So far archery, axe throwing and then chocolate and cocktail making are sounding like a fabulous plan!

Escape room
Archery
pasta making

I agree with cocktail making and a cookery/baking class. Or something arty, painting, sewing, making a flower wreath etc. I would absolutely not do and sports or spa with work colleagues unless they are friends outside of work either.

our last work retreat (pre-covid) was to an organic community farm.
it was awsome, we did some light work like weeding and some competition type stuff (hedge laying, chicken run were absolutely hilarious).

colleague with disabilities were roped in in the office designing and making banners for the market stall.

it was awesome.

So your worry was people with physical disabilities can't do the activities you're doing now, but think they'd be cool with archery and axe throwing??

This is sounding more like you don't like what's planned now and want to have input so you do next time. Which is fine but at least admit that from the outset instead of saying you want to be more inclusive

Cooking class would make me happy.

Or cocktail mixing, especially if a good range of mocktails were included.

I'd also like a gentle guided walk.

I'd also like a gentle guided walk.

Cookery activities can be great, we once did a team activity decorating pizzas or you can do decorating cakes/biscuits.

A mini team bake off challenge etc

Murder mystery games can work well.

Team treasure hunts etc

That’s kind of what I was thinking, Archery is hard work! You’ll definitely find some muscles you haven’t met in awhile.

Yep!! It's not a bit easy, you're doing some decent pulling of bows (and muscles!) and it's not an easy going pinging of arrows. Axes too, sure they're really light 🙄

And, from very, very painful experience, if you're hypermobile (or female, apparently a significant number of females also have different joint conformation, according the the first aider I was taken to), you need somebody to tell you how to hold the bow and then rotate your forearm from horizontal to vertical so that you don't then twang the string straight into the middle of the joint, turn your entire arm black, three times its usual size and basically unusable for the next fortnight.

It's hard to explain, but rather than just holding it straight immediately, you have to hold it horizontally with the back of your fist uppermost, then turn it to vertical.

Something creative like pottery. If they want add danger then knife skills or if not chocolate or pasta or sushi. It’s great if someone adds something like that.

A lot of people don’t realise that others are excluded as they don’t turn up and it isn’t on show - nor should it need to be.

I think craft or art activities would be a good shout. Maybe offer spa treatments or gentle yoga. I have just been to a similar type day the best activity was yoga. I am crap at it but I always find it very relaxing.