Looking for that special something to add to your corporate events?
Whether you’re new to event management or a seasoned pro, you always want to wow your corporate guests. You give your events your all. And watching the transformation unfold during the experience, then hearing the accolades afterwards, brings you a sense of immense pride.
But you’re running out of ideas to offer your regular customers. The tired, old-style ‘team building games’ (that used to make many of us shudder) just won’t cut it anymore.
In our post-Covid world, we all understand that time is precious, connection is a must-have and experiences are more valuable than things.
So how to create an outdoor corporate event that’s meaningful, fresh and fun, and also delivers that ‘je ne sais quoi’ for your delegates?
Wow your corporate guests with a Nature Immersion experience
Turn to the natural world and enable your guests to immerse themselves in their natural surroundings, not only gifting them a novel experience to remember forever, but also teaching them the skills to
🌿boost their wellbeing
🌿build their resilience and
🌿benefit the health of the planet – all in the long term.
The psychological construct of Nature Connection goes beyond contact with nature or time spent in nature, it’s about developing a kinship with the natural world. Evidence shows the more connected you are, the happier and healthier you will be, and the more likely you will be to be satisfied with life.
The new outdoor event idea with the wow factor
We all know that time outdoors is beneficial for our health, this is nothing new. But if you think about it, much of the time when you’re outside perhaps you’re running, listening to a podcast or taking care of the children or dogs?
Guided Nature Immersion events don’t include physical exertion and there are no distractions or competitions. You will be giving your guests permission to really relax, forget all their responsibilities and enjoy being playful. Movement is slow and gentle, and they’ll spend a considerable amount of time lying or sitting on the ground, being guided through visualisations and meditations, as shown above.
Although relaxing in nature sounds simple, it’s not that easy. As a society, we don’t value rest or quiet time, and many of us feel guilty if we’re not rushing around, juggling multiple tasks or ticking something off a list.
What’s involved in a typical Nature Immersion experience?
So instead of creating an action-packed day – which can be incredibly depleting and energy-zapping for the many introverts amongst us – why not buck the trend? Include a Nature Immersion experience during the day, with a focus on restorative mindfulness and gentle and effective energy-boosting activities. Your guests might find themselves interacting with the elements, enjoying mindful photography and perhaps even some barefoot walking. There’s usually an opportunity for creative expression, perhaps through drawing, journaling or writing a poem, and using natural materials to create a structure or mandala is always popular.
Why use a Nature Connection Guide?
To give everyone the absolute best experience it’s best to use a skilled and qualified Nature Connection guide to facilitate your Nature Immersion activity. A reputable guide is trained in creating and holding a safe space for the group, has a plethora of different exercises to choose from and the skills to adapt at short notice, and will always be insured.
In advance of the event, they will meet with you to discuss ideas and visit the venue to design the session. They will ensure the lands are respected, that health and safety factors are taken into account and that no trace of the visit remains. And they’ll have an infectious passion for the power of nature connection and the role it plays in the healthy future of humans and the planet alike 🙂
So many of us are overwhelmed with life at the moment, it seems even busier than before Covid. To be given permission to hang out in nature and reconnect with a childlike sense of fun and curiosity is priceless – is this the sort of valuable and meaningful gift you’d like to give your guests?
A recent event at Lainston House Hotel in Winchester saw us guiding 18 CEOs on a sensory activation journey while lying under an ancient holm oak, befriending a buttercup in a spring meadow and creating a gratitude gift using natural, foraged materials. We finished with a foraged tea, making use of the tips of stinging nettles found on site. Our Nature Immersion experience was the highlight of the day with participants still talking about it over dinner – a sure sign of success!
Where to wow your corporate guests
Super conveniently, Nature Immersion is enjoyable in any outdoor space in almost any weather. Perhaps you’re familiar with the saying, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.”?
However, if there is torrential rain or gales on the day, your guide will adapt the experience. Much of it can take place in sheltered areas or even indoors without compromising on fun. For example, the guided sensory activation exercise can be done indoors using visualisation techniques. In addition, participants can forage their natural materials for the mandala making or weaving activities from outside and create their masterpieces somewhere more sheltered.
An ancient woodland with a mix of broadleaved and conifer species adds a touch of mystery and magic to the experience but managed grounds in a hotel also work well. It’s also perfectly ok to use a lawn, meadow or playing field area – in fact, a rich mixture of land types is ideal.
Your Nature Connection guide will design the session playing to the strengths of the location, group and weather.
Adore Your Outdoors is based to the North of Winchester, so we work in some fantastic hotels, gardens, and woodlands in and around Hampshire, Salisbury and Berkshire. If you are in a different area, we can probably recommend another Nature Connection provider.
When is the best time to enjoy a Nature Immersion experience?
Contrary to what you might think, it’s entirely possible and probable to enjoy the most incredible nature experience in winter. However, it does require sensible clothing to avoid getting uncomfortably cold. I understand that lying on the wet, freezing ground isn’t particularly tempting. And it’s a wonderful feeling to feel the heat from the sun on your skin. Furthermore, winter means fewer daylight hours so we would need to start late and/or finish early.
Therefore, March to November give you the best daylight and temperatures to wow your corporate guests. I guess this is when you run the majority of your outdoor events anyway?
Who is Nature Immersion for?
Because we don’t walk far or fast, the experience is suitable for those with mobility issues, breathing issues or fatigue. Whatever the weather, aside from appropriate clothing the only other thing that your guests will need is a yoga mat. So this experience really is accessible to most.
A typical 2-3-hour session works best with groups up to 25 and especially well with groups of up to 10. Find out more about the outdoor team building experience in Hampshire here.
Are you ready to wow your corporate guests with Nature Immersion?
If this has piqued your interest, get in touch to discuss how adding a Nature Immersion experience to your outdoor team building event can help you both entice new customers and continue impressing your existing clients. Prepare to wow your corporate guests and receive countless glowing recommendations. Just think of the repeat business! Read more here.
It’s an ideal activity for forward-thinking changemakers, given the increased awareness of the importance of good human and planetary health.
It doesn’t cost the earth, though it might well contribute to saving it 🙂
In the meantime, here’s a freebie for you. Each 1-page printable includes three seasonal, mindful activities you can do in your garden or local woodland.
Click to receive the autumn, winter and spring activity guides.
About Sonya Dibbin and Adore Your Outdoors
Sonya retrained in Nature Connection after leaving the world of corporate IT in 2019 and now runs Nature Immersion experiences in various locations across Hampshire.
She’s a certified Forest Therapy and Mindfulness Guide, Mental Health First Aider, EcoNidra Teacher and Workplace Wellbeing and Resilience Practitioner.
She also offers online mindfulness courses and ‘Lunch and Learn‘ events where participants join from their gardens – a Covid lockdown creation which continues to be popular.
Sonya lives in Winchester with her son who is as mad about nature as she is – her greatest achievement yet.
She’s a highly-sensitive introvert so loves her quiet time, but in her crazier moments, she has walked on fire, gone diving with sharks, and David Copperfield made her disappear live on stage in Las Vegas.
