Aveni works at the forefront of innovation in AI and Natural Language Processing, providing quality assurance and regulatory compliance solutions for financial services and utilities companies in the UK. However, that’s not all we get up to. Occasionally, we hop on planes and trains to catch up in person, have fun, celebrate personal and company achievements and try to flex our prowess in competitive games.
Our off-site was a few days ago now and this is how the day went. First things first, let’s start with the food! The marketing ladies Nicola, Katie and Chisimdi caught up over breakfast at Dishoom, ahead of the official start of the offsite activities. The bacon and egg sandwich was great but the most points go to the waitress who was kind enough to take this picture.
The day continued with more food with the whole company. The Aveni team took some time afterwards to celebrate the progress of each functional area throughout the year and there was a lot to celebrate. There have been a lot of big personal milestones since the last off-site with employees getting married, buying homes, thriving in their postgraduate studies and continuing to live their best lives.
There have also been an overwhelming number of professional and team achievements we were keen to recognise and celebrate. Numerous company goals were reached, from the advancements of the models built by the Natural Language Processing team to the rapidly growing distribution of the solutions we provide.
Right before dinner, we went axe throwing. Even though more of the axes bounced off the wall than hit the target, it was a fun experience. Who said we were trying to hit the bull’s eye anyway? The instructors guided us to try strategies like holding the axe with one hand, throwing with two hands and facing it backward.
What’s a game without some competition? Everyone got paired into two groups and swung with grit and passion, trying to come out tops. Group one had the win of the day (but between you and me, they got more bonus points for their party-tricks than points for actually hitting the target). But a win is a win.
After axe-throwing, we unwound from our exertions with a few drinks. You’d think that as the principal designer, Chloe would be an expert of designs and user experience only. Well, you’ll be surprised about how well she knows her gin and whisky! If you like to keep it safe, you should probably stick to ordering a bramble or french martini. You have Chloe to thank for that information.
We had dinner at Scott’s and it was so good. It was a 5 star back to back from appetiser to main dish and dessert
You think that was all for the day? Nah! We ended the night with karaoke. It started off with Miley Cyrus’ wrecking ball and quickly transitioned to some soulful classics. We should probably advise Jamie, Ryan and Archie to pursue a career in music. They may not have a voice like Elton John’s but a stellar performance? They have it on lock.
Petition to make everyday an Aveni off-site. It was a great day of celebrating personal and company successes. We’re so proud of the outstanding humans that make up Aveni! Catch up with what we get up to on our Instagram page @avenilife.
