Wharf teams wanted for Microsoft UK Challenge

By Simon Hayes on May 8, 2008 8:59 AM |

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SIGN UP for a major corporate challenge next month and you’ll find yourself rubbing shoulders with one of rugby’s greats.

Rory Underwood, England’s flying winger during the ’80s and ’90s, is taking part in the Microsoft UK Challenge.

He will join teams from several Canary Wharf companies, including HSBC and Barclays.

The former sporting giant, who now runs high performance development consultancy UPH, said: “I’m really looking forward to it. I’m doing a couple of events, although I don’t quite know what they involve – but then that’s the whole point.

“You get put into a situation and then have to use your wits to get through it. It helps promote communication and teamwork, and encourages leadership.”

The challenge will put teams through demanding physical, strategic and intellectual tasks to help develop skills which can be transferred back to the workplace.

Disciplines include running, kayaking and mountain biking as well as logic tests, code cracking and puzzle solving.

All aspects of the challenge are designed to improve communication and teamwork, with everyone from the chief executive to the office junior welcome to take part.

“It’s exciting and challenging,” said Underwood, whose new career often brings him to Canary Wharf.
“It encompasses the ethos of teamwork and builds team spirit over four days.

“Competitors get to learn more about each other in four days than they would from a year together in the office.”

As well as the satisfaction of learning more about themselves teams will also be raising money for the NSPCC. Last year the event brought in more than £500,000.

There are still places available on the challenge which takes place in the Stirling countryside between June 11 and 15. The cost per team is £6,950. Closing date for entries is May 16.

For further information on the Microsoft UK Challenge, visit www.challengerworld.com

simon.hayes@wharf.co.uk