Professional Oldham event at Team Spirit, Oldham.
CRAZY golf was among the activities when networking group Professional Oldham held its latest gathering at corporate events and experiential firm Team Spirit.
Conferences, team-building activities, themed events and venue-finding are among theservices offered by Team Spirit.
It moved into its current 50,000 sq ft base on Hill Street, off Huddersfield Road, in 2017. The site includes warehousing for equipment used at events and team-building activities including stages, platforms, lighting, audio-visual gear, sets and scenery, costumes, props, seating, barriers, games and outdoor equipment. The site is also home to global sales teams, marketing, graphic design and print departments.
Team Spirit has invested over £500,000 to create a global corporate events infrastructure. During the expansion project, it received from the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub and Northern Powerhouse funding.
Founded by Ian Taylor in 1993 with a £2,500 loan from the former Oldham Business Development Loan Fund and other support from the Prince’s Trust, Team Spirit has previously been based in other locations in Derker and Greenfield. Today it has over 50 full-time and part-time staff.
Key figures with the business include fellow director Rachel Taylor and PA Katie Hodson, who attended the Professional Oldham event alongside Ian and other colleagues. Adam Clarke, Max Lees and Katie helped welcome visitors to the site along with Professional Oldham volunteers.
Professional Oldham steering group member Bridget Batty, of Pearson Solicitors & Financial Advisers and Limetree PR, gave a welcome speech and outlined the group’s work. She said Professional Oldham is a not-for-profit group steered by volunteers from local businesses. They include Suzanne Wright, also of Pearson Solicitors & Financial Advisers; Helan Graham and Stephanie Doherty, both of Caremark Oldham; Glenn Drake-Owen of Breakey & Nuttall, Lisa Buckley of Dr Kershaw’s Hospice; and Robbie MacDonald, from Oldham Business Edge magazine and Cornerstone Design & Marketing.
Then Ian Taylor spoke about his own background and family, who ran a number of bakery shops in Oldham.
He said:
“It’s great to see so many Oldham businesses here tonight. Oldham people are
hard-workers with a good sense of humour too, so tonight will be productive for business
networking and good fun. We love hosting events for clients across the UK and globally, and
it’s great to be able to meet you all tonight and show you around our base in Oldham.”
In addition to the crazy golf and tour of facilities, Team Spirit provided drinks for guests and a buffet from the Arundel Bakery, led by young entrepreneur Daniel Arundel. Businesses and organisations present included 23 Degrees, Action Together, All About Oldham, Amber Case Management, Andrew Wilson & Co, B2B Finance, Buffalo uPVC, Cornerstone Design & Marketing, Doing Biz 4 Yourself, First Stop Secretarial, Foresight,
Greater Manchester Growth Company, Handelsbanken, Hindsight Marketing, JBH Property, Linda Lewis Kitchens, Millers Florist, M People Recruitment, North Ainley Solicitors, Not Just Travel, O’Donnell Solicitors, Oldham Chronicle, Oldham Training Centre, Physio Matters, Philip Howe of Raymond James Investment, Remedian IT, radio station Revolution 96.2, Ryder & Dutton, Sefton Accountants, Studio G Photography and Vere North.