Conferences That Can
Our standard in-person events run for 3 hours, though we get requests for longer and shorter versions so our corporate clients can build our sessions into the available time in their conference agenda, so we regularly run 2 ½ and 2 hour cut downs.
For some conferences where the agenda is tight, we have been able to deliver anywhere between 1 hour to 1 ½ hours, depending on which program the corporate client chooses. This was the case when we were selected for the super prestigious ‘Excellence Awards’ for Commonwealth Bank, hosted by their CEO. The agenda was packed, and the group was large with 350 delegates.
Our client chose our Farm Angels ‘Farmhands’ program as they had recently partnered with the charity and generously donated a $100,000 grant so it seemed a perfect fit and an ideal way for the leadership of the bank to gain a deeper understanding and more profound appreciation of the work the charity does and how their money would be used to support farmers and their families who were struggling from natural disasters.
“Today I had the privilege of supporting the Commonwealth Bank’s Excellence Awards as they partnered with Team Building with Purpose and the inspiring not-for-profit Farm Angels for a powerful team-building experience.”
Tamara McMaster, Commonwealth Bank
The long and short of it was that we only had 1 ¼ hours to deliver our session, which included a shopping exercise so the group could put together Christmas food hampers. Whilst we normally send groups off to the shops to buy the food on the day, this wasn’t a practical option with the limited numbers and large numbers. Plus, the shops were too far away. The solution was we pre-purchased the food for them, delivered to the venue and set up and manned food stalls at both ends of the main room.
The stage was set, lights on, and cameras rolling.
Part of our brief was to take the group into the world of Farm Angels, what and why they do what they do and how, the insight of which served to deliver nuggets of gold for the CBA staff. The session involved table and group shares, discussions and collaboration, all designed to foster better teamwork.
As with all of our sessions, the activities were designed to foster some fun, healthy competition, and we were certainly not surprised to see a room full of high achievers, rising to the challenge.
The energy in the room went from a calm, quiet, expectant hum to a frenzy of activity as everyone sought to tackle the activities within the deadlines and worked hard to do the very best they could and they certainly did not disappoint by putting together just short of 50 impressive Christmas food hampers and messages of support to the farmers in our country doing it tough.
We heard from many people as they left the room at the end how much they enjoyed the session and how much it touched them. Some also commented how surprised they were that we managed to engage so many people in such a short space of time.
“Seeing our people come together with purpose, compassion, and a shared commitment to making a difference reminded me of the power of community and the importance of backing those who feed and sustain our nation.”
Tamara McMaster, Commonwealth Bank
At the end of the day, whilst we did our job at engaging this large group of professionals and getting them connected to one another and the cause that Farm Angels champions, the real impact of what we had all done in that room at Daltone House was yet to be seen. That’s the ripple effect of everyone’s love and support and that only happens when the Christmas food hampers get to their final destination.
We followed the hampers, first to Farm Angels’ depot in Chinchilla and then onto the farmers across our great nation who, one and all, expressed enormous gratitude for the gift of food and kindness. As the quote below from Farm Angels staff member Monique (Mon) outlined, the hampers meant more to them than just food; it was proof that there were people out there, strangers even, who were thinking of them and that thought will stay with them for weeks and months to come and keep them warm when the times are tough.
“Over the past week, I visited twelve farming families across the Taree and Kempsey regions to deliver the Christmas Food Hampers that Commonwealth Bank staff so kindly packed for Farm Angels. These trips are always a mix of emotions for me. On one hand, it’s incredibly rewarding to stand there in person and thank our farmers for everything they do for our country. On the other hand, it can be really tough hearing what so many of them have gone through and are still going through.
I spent time with dairy, cattle, bee and mixed-production farmers, and with most of them I ended up sitting at the table for hours just talking. They shared stories of the destruction they’ve faced during the disasters, the long road of rebuilding, and the reality that for many, things still aren’t anywhere near “back to normal.” Some of our beekeeper Farmers lost everything to Varroa mite, then the floods came and took the few hives they had left. Some dairy and cattle farmers told me how they watched half their herds swept away in floodwater. Houses, sheds, dairies – destroyed. A lot of them are still traumatised. A few were stuck inside their homes for a full day waiting to be rescued, told the SES couldn’t reach them, and were eventually saved by local oyster farmers in their boats.
So walking in with these hampers really meant something. It wasn’t just food and gifts, it was a small moment of kindness during a really long, hard journey. It was a chance to remind them that people care about them, appreciate them, and haven’t forgotten what they are still facing – a long recovery.
When I told Doug and Zandria, who are fifth generation dairy farmers with their son now being the sixth, that the hampers were packed by Commonwealth Bank staff, they looked at each other and said, “That is so special. We’ve banked with Commonwealth our whole lives.” And at Barry and Jacqui’s place, Jacqui opened the hamper and started reading the handwritten card from one of your team. She burst into tears and said, “It’s just so nice knowing people care about us. They don’t even know us, and they’ve gone to all this trouble.”I saw moments like that over and over again. I know firsthand the impact these hampers and especially those handwritten cards had on our farmers.
So, from me and from the entire Farm Angels team, thank you. Thank you to Commonwealth Bank and every staff member who took the time to make these hampers happen. You genuinely lifted spirits, and you reminded our farmers that their hard work and the struggles they continue to face are seen and appreciated.”
That’s why we do what we do.
That’s Team Building with Purpose!