Your Questions Answered
Last Updated (Monday, 15 June 2009 17:01)
ELIGIBILITY
Who is eligible to participate in the TeamWalk Challenge?
All UK employees of Marsh, Guy Carpenter and MMC Head office are eligible to participate. However, family members or friends of participants are ineligible.
COSTS & EXPENSES
Do employees have to pay for their own travel costs?
No, all reasonable travel costs will be paid for by the Company. It’s expected that employees will ensure their selected method of transport is the most economical option possible. It’s strongly encouraged that each team shares a single car to travel to the venue. Taxis from the nearest station (Newark and Nottingham) are permissible.
If there’s any doubt about reasonableness of the likely travel cost please check with your line manager / budget holder before committing to the expense.
How do I claim for my Travel costs?
Employees should make their own travel arrangements. They should claim for travel costs associated to the TeamWalk Challenge in the normal way via IExpenses. Please note, only costs relating to travel can be claimed through IExpenses.
The expense type of ‘TeamWalk Challenge’ should be selected when making the claim in IExpenses and this will automatically be charged against your home department. The budget holder for that department will be aware that reasonable travel expense claims are an approved ’09 cost.
All costs must be claimed within 4 weeks of the event.
Do employees have to pay accommodation costs?
No, the company will pay accommodation costs for both Friday and Saturday nights.
What do employees have to pay?
Every participating employee will be required to pay a fee of £30. The company will make a donation to the MMC Charity of The Year, Help the Hospices, equivalent to the fees paid.
Are food & drinks paid for?
A full breakfast will be provided by the Company on Saturday morning prior to the walk and an evening meal, including selected drink, will be provided prior to the awards presentation on Saturday evening.
A bar with a limited tab will also be available on Saturday night during the disco and presentations. If employees wish to have further drinks after the tab limit has been reached then they will need to pay for those themselves.
Also, if the employee wishes to dine at Center Parcs on Friday evening or Sunday morning (breakfast) then this will be at their own expense.
THE TEAMWALK CHALLENGE
What is it?
The TeamWalk Challenge is a one-day walking event on Saturday that will see teams of five compete against other teams as they complete orienteering tasks through Sherwood Forest to checkpoints and clock-up points. There will be an awards dinner and party on Saturday evening.
Are there different categories of ability and courses to choose?
All teams will compete over the same course in the same area. Teams can select how quickly they navigate the course and how much of the course they want to complete. Points will be scored not just through the number of checkpoints visited but also through various other ways that are not physically / distance dependent.
Some teams that are focussed on winning will elect to follow what they feel is the most effective strategy whilst other teams who prefer to amble around the countryside might just head for the few checkpoints in the most interesting areas for an enjoyable walk.
Do I need to do any training?
It’s not essential for you to do any specific training for the event but as with any event involving an element of physical application it can’t fail to help if you really want to!
Will the course involve obstacles, heights etc.?
No, the course doesn’t include any demanding obstacles or heights. The terrain will be fair and will require locating check-points based on clues and directions given. There may be one or two mini-tasks but none that is overly demanding.
TEAM MAKE-UP
What comprises a team?
Teams comprise five colleagues. Each team should nominate a team leader.
Can the teams be mixed between male and female, old and young?
Yes, all teams compete against one another on an even basis and can be made up of employees of any status.
Does a team get any extra points allowance for all coming from the same department?
No, teams can be formed from any combination of sources, either from the same department or spread from across the country / business.
It’s actually encouraged that cross-departmental teams are formed to maximise the colleague interaction and integration.
I want to participate but I haven’t got enough people to form a full team of 5?
If you want to attend but can’t make-up a full team of 5 then please contact [Quest] who will try their best to place you in a team with fellow colleagues also looking to make-up a team. It’s actually encouraged that cross-departmental teams are formed to maximise the colleague interaction and integration.
Quest will contact you in due course to confirm in which team you have been placed.
Can employees from any UK based MMC operating unit other than Marsh, Guy Carpenter or MMC Head Office participate?
No, due to the specific source of funding supporting the 2009 TeamWalk Challenge only UK based employees from Marsh, Guy Carpenter and MMC Head Office can participate. If colleagues from Marsh or MMC wish to join forces to form a team then that is fine.
Can I invite friends and family along to join my team?
No, all team members have to be a UK employee of Marsh, Guy Carpenter or MMC Head office.
ACCOMODATION ARRANGEMENTS
Is accommodation provided?
Yes, all accommodation for the Friday night and Saturday nights will be arranged for you and the costs will be paid for by the Company.
What are the accommodation arrangements?
Each team of 5 will be allocated their own private chalet which, at minimum, will include two rooms with 2 single beds as well as one room with a double bed. Each team will decide between themselves the sleeping arrangements in each chalet.
Each chalet also has a private kitchen and bathroom.
Can I choose where on the Parc I stay?
No, chalets will be provided to the teams on a random basis as and when they arrive.
When do teams need to check out of the accommodation?
Teams will need to check out of their allocated accommodation no later than 1700 on Sunday afternoon. If colleagues want to stay at the Parc longer on Sunday after they’ve checked out then that is no problem, although any additional activities that involve a supplementary cost will need to be paid for by the employee.
CENTER PARCS FACILITIES
Can I use the facilities at Center Parcs?
Yes, in general the facilities are available to employees participating in the event over the weekend although any facilities that require additional costs, such as the Spa and go-karting, will have to be paid for by the employee themselves.
Will bikes be provided to travel around?
Yes, as part of the agreement with Center Parcs each employee, if they wish, can use a bike free of charge during their weekend stay. Safety equipment will also be supplied free of charge.
Can I park my car at Center Parcs?
Yes, parking is free and you will be told where to park your car when you arrive.
EQUIPMENT
What equipment do I need to bring?
Please see the [kit list requirements]
What type of clothes do I need to bring?
In addition to any specified clothing in the [kit-list section] it’s recommended that during the walk you wear casual / leisure clothes and for the Saturday evening function then smart / casual dress is fine.
GENERAL
In times of economic pressures and cost focus, is it appropriate for the Company to fund this type of event?
A surplus from an historic Trust Fund which the Company was due to receive has recently been settled and a stipulation of the Trust release was that the funding had to be utilised on behalf of the employees of the Company; the money could not be recognised by the Company as a saving or income against its financial performance. The Company believes that supporting the TeamWalk Challenge is an effective and appropriate and tax-efficient means of utilising these funds.
Will this event take place every year?
The Company intends to make this an annual event subject to senior management approval and the necessary funding.
When will employees be allowed to leave to travel to the event on Friday afternoon?
UK Management have approved that all participants can leave for the event after 3 pm on the Friday afternoon subject to completion of all immediate work requirements. This will be at the final discretion of your line manager.
Teams travelling from the very distant regional offices should make reasonable arrangements with their line manager, and likewise, those colleagues located reasonably close to the venue will probably not need to leave the office before normal leaving time.
Colleagues leaving the office slightly early with the approval of their manager will not need to take the time as personal holiday.
When are teams expected to arrive on Friday?
You should plan to arrive between 17.00 & 20.00hrs.
Last check–in is 22.00hrs
Is attendance at the Saturday evening dinner obligatory?
Participants are strongly encouraged to attend the Saturday evening function. If they cannot attend they should [notify Quest].
If an employee will be arriving on Saturday morning rather than Friday night for any reason they should again [notify Quest].
What is the closing date for registration?
There is only limited availability so it’s recommended to register quickly if you wish to guarantee your participation. You should aim to register by Friday 3 July.
What happens if I register for the event and then decide I don’t want to or can’t participate?
If you decide after registering that you don’t want to attend the event then that is fine although your fee cannot be refunded. This is due to certain commitments and cost obligations that have to be made once you’ve registered your interest.
Only exceptional circumstances will be treated any differently.