Away day fun at the farm

This was not just any team away day, this was a Sibbecks Farm-style away day. And we would highly recommend one.

The annual NOSY team away day is always a highly anticipated occasion. We’ve had some enjoyable adventures in the past but each year we like to find something new, with the aim of coming together to have fun in a natural environment.

Our recent trip to Sibbecks Farm, run by the fabulous Paul and Vicki Sitch, ticked every box, and more!

Located in the heart of the Isle of Wight’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the farm offers corporate days alongside its holiday glamping experience.

Paul and Vicki organised a programme of activities to keep us fed and entertained, starting with a guided foraging walk around the farm, led by Joseph from Fieldstudy.

We learned about a variety of edible plants to incorporate into our breakfast - including how you can eat stinging nettles safely - and we picked fresh produce from the farm ahead of a campfire breakfast, which we cooked together.

A bushcraft activity followed, when we were split into two teams to see who could build the best shelter and fire. It was a close contest, though the waterproofing test for the shelters showed neither team quite cracked it!

After some downtime in the barn, with badminton, table tennis and scooters among the activities, we enjoyed a lovely lunch provided by Isle Graze, before heading out for a nature-themed scavenger hunt.

We hiked up St Catherine’s Oratory (The Pepperpot) and split into teams, armed with a map and a list of plants, animals and landmarks to find. Each team took a different route through various fields and winding footpaths, leading us back to the farm for the all-important answers.

The day wrapped up with pizza-making, drinks, and marshmallows by the fire – the perfect way to finish a fantastic experience.

"We loved welcoming you all to Sibbecks Farm for the day, what a brilliant bunch,” said Vicki.

"You fully embraced every activity and we were particularly impressed by your shelter making - probably some of the best shelters we’ve seen – even if they weren’t completely storm (water can) proof!

"With corporate and business backgrounds ourselves, it is great to be able to welcome organisations of all sizes to experience the little haven we have made at Sibbecks Farm.

"We love providing experiences that really allow teams to spend time connecting with each other as well as the nature around them.  It is also brilliant to see people taking some time out by themselves, walking around our meadow or sitting in a quiet spot reflecting.”

"We hope that, after the initial contented tiredness of a day in fresh air and tasty pizzas for dinner wore off, you all felt refreshed and revived after a day out ‘in the wild’.