Shropshire Business Festival brings fun for firms and more events are planned
Staff at businesses across the county had the chance to let their hair down and escape from the challenges of work at a festival with a difference.
Shropshire Festivals organised the Shropshire Business Festival at Wrekin College on Tuesday, with more than 500 employers and staff registering for the event, which included live music, street food, quizzes and games.
The event was supported by a band of sponsors including Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, Department of International Trade, Barclays, Chrisbeon, Throgmorton, WPG, Azets, Dulson Training and Volvo Shrewsbury.
Beth Heath, director at Shropshire Festivals, said: “It went incredibly well as an event and was an opportunity for business people to try things they had never done before while also networking.
“We had people escaping their office for a while to take part in some axe-throwing or darts!
“And we had things such as a health and well-being zone which proved popular.
“As a result of how the day went we are already looking at doing a second one in September at Shrewsbury Prison and we will also be returning to Wrekin College next March.”
Beth said it was an opportunity to do something different to a ‘stale conference or an awkward networking event’.
She added: “We brought together the best business folk in the county in a festival setting with live music, street food and Tipis. Let’s face it, there’s no better way to connect with people than when you’re having fun!”
Shropshire Festivals had lined up a series of seminars, which covered everything from the recruitment crisis to how to write a press release.
Workshops included sessions by Barclays on sustainability, Azets on all stages of business growth and five crucial steps to financial independence from Nick Jones of sponsors – Throgmorton Associates Wealth Management.
Beth added: “We we were excited to be working with so many businesses and professionals to deliver a top-class business event, mixed with the fun of a festival. Who doesn’t want to race on office chairs and throw axes, in between learning about the psychology of language and growth strategies?”
Ahead of the event, the first ever Visit Shropshire Tourism Expo was also held at Wrekin College, bringing together the tourism and hospitality sector.
Ed Thomas, Chairman of Visit Shropshire, said: “Visit Shropshire is at an exciting stage of renewal and development and the Tourism Expo gave us the opportunity to share the exciting plans for promoting Shropshire on a wider stage in the coming years.”
