Working parties

Most people who work in offices know about working parties.  All too often they are talking shops which end up with no real progress.

This is a different idea.  Why not organise a party to get a job done?

A barn-building party

It was January and the lambing season had nearly arrived, but Chris had nowhere under cover where she could keep the ewes and their offspring.  So in return for the promise of some chops and joints when the sheep came back from the butcher’s, a few friends were persuaded to give up one weekend to put up a barn.  After two days’ hard work, some good food, and plenty to drink, the barn was in place, and with a bit of finishing off, was ready for the ewes.

A stag party with a difference

Steve had started to build a conservatory a few years previously, but had never managed to finish. His girlfriend was going away for the weekend for her hen party, so he took the opportunity to get some friends around to finish off the work he had begun but not completed. They only just managed to get the job done in time, but it was one of the best surprises he could give to his fiancée.

A garden party

A working party can be used to get any self-contained project finished.  Work on the garden such as laying a patio or building a deck are ideal projects.  Make sure that all the planning has been done well in advance and that all the materials are at hand for the job.  Nothing slows things down more than running out of cement or other materials, especially if it happens after the stores have closed.

A house party

Another suitable project would be redecorating a room.  Unless major work is required, it is usually possible to redecorate an ordinary room in a day or two.  Again, make sure that the work is planned to take account of the time that various stages take (such as the time paint needs to dry between coats) and make sure that all the necessary materials have been acquired.

Your ideas

Have you ever organised a working party yourself?  Let us know what you did, and what pitfalls you experienced.