It is always great to step away from the desks, leave the daily work routine behind and just enjoy being a team. That is exactly what we did this summer for gcp’s annual weekend in Devon, packed with brilliant coastal weather, plenty of laughs and a few very welcome surprises.
The weekend was made even better by a few extra guests who tagged along, some familiar faces who might have moved on from the company but will always be a part of the gcp family.
Saturday Sunshine
We started the weekend on a high note with the sunshine on our side. Saturday morning was spent right on the sand, catching up and making the most of the weather. Some only dipped their toes in, while others braved the rough waters in wetsuits and on paddle boards, luckily everyone made it to dry land safely and we walked back with sand in our shoes and sea salt in our hair.
After a lively morning down by the water, we swapped our sandy feet for walking shoes and headed out for a scenic hike along the coastline. Our guide, Olive, the most adventurous Cocker Spaniel Devon has seen yet, led us through fresh sea air and dramatic cliff views.
Later in the day, we completely took over the garden, a perfect spot to just wind down and hang out. A few people set up a chess board to teach the kids how to play, while the rest of the space was filled with casual garden games, catching up on the swings and just general good chat in the sunshine.
Evening Fun
For dinner, we were treated to Phil’s legendary barbecue inspired by his life in Cyprus. The food was incredible, and we spent the evening piled around the long tables in the garden, eating, drinking and chatting until well after dark.
Once dinner wrapped up, the atmosphere shifted to pure competition. Moving indoors, the table tennis setup became the arena for some fast-paced, loud and completely chaotic games of around the world. It was the ultimate, high-energy way to finish off the evening.
Slow Sunday
Sunday was all about taking it easy before the journey home. We split our final morning between a much calmer, relaxing trip down to the beach and a casual game of croquet back in the garden.
The absolute highlight of the day, however, was sitting down together to enjoy Tom's all-healing apricot lamb stew. It was exactly what everyone needed to revive themselves after the weekend's walking, swimming and table tennis madness. After packing up the cars with full stomachs, we all headed home refreshed and already looking forward to where the next annual trip takes us.