ABD TEAM BUILDING DAY OUT!
A relaxing day out cruising on a canal barge from Hilperton Marina, to Seend for a "lite bite" sounded like a fantastic idea for this hardworking department not only to spend some "time out together" but to also use it as a kind of team building exercise, is exactly what the ABD Matrimonial Department did, and I felt very privileged to go with them...
The ABD Litigation Department had done this very same trip only a few weeks ago for their team building day out which proved to be a great success.
The weather started rather grey and cloudy (the day before had been hot and sunny, oh well,) as we boarded our canal barge for the day which was aptly named "Cheers".
After a complicated and lengthy but very informative "health and safety" talk on boat problems/use of lock key/getting through the locks/making a cup of tea/man over board etc etc from one of the smiley faced barge instructors, we nervously questioned amongst us for a split second whether we were capable and able enough to actually make it in one piece to our destination the "Brewery Inn", a popular inn producing excellent fare and drink based in Seend, Wiltshire.
"Come on team, we can do this!" So off we chugged with ABD Partner Andrew Douglas in the driving seat steering us away.
Carol Saunders and Andrew Douglas.
The journey itself to Seend took no more than approx 4 hours and was hugely relaxing even when it rained and at one stage felt slightly cold out. Most had a go and enjoyed steering the barge. Not an easy thing to do, the barge is a slow mover when steering, and you need to think ahead of the game especially if there is another barge insight heading towards you! The locks are relatively straight forward and require an amount of team strength to open/close the locks whilst you then wait for a few minutes or so for the water to rise. Its also a great way to meet/have idle chit chat to other barge users doing the same especially if they are going in the same direction because 2 barges can wait for the water to rise (or fall) at the same time. Patience, strength and avoiding other objects are key factors all round with this sport!
Alex David oversees and Janice Leyland
keeping a tight hold of the barge.
Approaching the locks.
PATIENCE IS KEY.
It was really good to meet the Matrimonial Department in the flesh so to speak. Chatting, listening and finding out what they were about - This is clearly a solid, and special close nit team of slick mediators who can calmly deal with any given matrimonial situation and achieve the required results. This is a team that deals with people who are going through a very difficult stage in their lives that involve the words separation, divorce, children, family, structure, home, belongings and loss.
It was really good to meet the Matrimonial Department in the flesh so to speak. Chatting, listening and finding out what they were about - This is clearly a solid, and special close nit team of slick mediators who can calmly deal with any given matrimonial situation and achieve the required results. This is a team that deals with people who are going through a very difficult stage in their lives that involve the words separation, divorce, children, family, structure, home, belongings and loss.
Dave Turley and Leanne Matthews.
"Come on Dave, get your back into it".
KJ and Carol Saunders
contemplating!
WE MADE IT
Finally, we arrived at our destination, the Brewery Inn where we enjoyed very tasty lunches and drink. We were intrigued to note that they provided our food not only on plates but also baking trays and slabs of wood and slate! Very rustico!
Leanne Matthews, Janice Leyland,KJ, Alex David, Carol Saunders David Turley and Andrew Douglas. (Left to right).
The return journey was a deja vu of the locks (in reverse - we had to wait for the water to fall), herons happily perched close by, houses, gardens, wonderfully named, beautifully painted and a few unkempt barges moored up on the canal side. Some had solar panels. One even had a lengthy vegetable plot on its roof-amazing. Its good to see life from a different perspective.
The barge was aptly named "Cheers" which is what we said as we sipped our beers, wine and beverages. As if lunch wasn't enough, we piggishly tucked into further "party" fare as we passed the time of day. The sun even came out briefly!
Janice Leyland, Leanne Matthews and Dave Turley
"cheers!"
The journey seemed go slowly yet fly by because it had been such an enjoyable day which had come to end before we knew it. In fact, Janice Leyland, Matrimonial Solicitor based a Devizes Office who had joined the firm the day before was especially impressed with her second day in the office sorry I mean on the barge! As we moored up at the Hilperton Marina and collected our belongings, the unanimous vote that this would become an annual event was an absolute definite thumbs up! Thank you so much for inviting me too. It was great.
