Record Breaking Recruiters !!

Blue Pelican is extremely proud to announce we officially hold two Guinness World Records following a recent team building event. Okay so they are not in recruitment – but as part of our 10 year celebrations, a plan was set into motion to break a World Record before the end of 2012.

On 14th September 2012 at the Salomons Centre, Southborough; Blue Pelican undertook the Guinness World Records Team Challenge.

The Challenges included:

1. Build a 10 x 10 x 10 pyramid using polystyrene cups in the fastest time
2. Keep as many balloons in the air as possible for 1 minute within a defined space
3. Pass 8 tennis balls between 8 people (a set distance apart) without dropping any in the fastest time possible

The teams and their attempts were as follows:

Team 1 (Andrew Brooks, Luke Davison, Julie Ephgrave, Nik Maynard, Sally Peacock, Lloyd Pettet, Gemma Skillett, Andy Stevens) were given the task of building a 10 level cup pyramid in the fastest time, with the previous World Record standing at 111 seconds. None of the practice attempts resulted in a completed pyramid and they were nervous. Add in an audience and the pressure was mounting. But they managed to pull together with brilliant team work and smashed the previous record by 13 seconds, completing the build in a time of 98 seconds. Watch the record breaking video here

On to Team 2 (Colin Doree, Julie Fernandes, Alice Hampshire, Richard Higgins, Ginny Legg, Graham MacKenzie, Kate McDermott, Clare Metson) who were tasked with keeping the most balloons in the air for 1 minute. Sounds easy you’d think, or at least we did. It was an all or nothing attempt – no second chances and large balloons are not terribly cooperative. Unfortunately they were not successful in their attempt. Watch the balloon attempt here

Team 3 (Ian Bannister, Kerry Byott, Conrad Chant, Laura Crouch, Ben Hobbins, Chris Parker, Max Tullis-Turner, Andrew Wise) stepped up to undertake their attempt at the fastest time to pass eight tennis balls between eight people, following the same path each time and with a set distance between them. The previous record stood at 14.54 seconds and the task needed concentration and precision, attributes not normally associated with several of the team’s members. They were deadly serious and a false start only added to the tension. But they delivered a flawless performance, knocking 1.82 seconds off the old record, completing the challenge in a new World Record of 12.72 seconds. Watch the record breaking video here

Conrad Chant, one of the Directors of Blue Pelican said “In 1973, I was given a Guinness Book of World Records for Christmas which I read from cover to cover. It has been a dream ever since to break a World Record and the company’s 10 year anniversary seemed the perfect opportunity to achieve it. It’s fantastic to have broken two in one day. We’re very proud of all our staff, they really got behind the spirit of the day and enjoyed themselves. Becoming World Record Breakers was just the icing on the cake.”

Special thanks goes out to the team from Blue Hat who hosted the day, providing the trainers to coach us on each of our attempts. They made the day a lot of fun and without their help we would not have realised our goals.