spacelab_’s 2024 summer splash

With seemingly never-ending rain showers in London, the skies cleared just in time for spacelab’s annual summer party. Our culture team had been secretly planning the perfect summer away day to have a break from our screens and to recognise everyone’s hard work by having some great time together.

With our keep cups and cool boxes (it was a ‘plastic-free july’ affair), we headed down to Brighton and gathered on the beach for a relaxed afternoon. There was something for everyone: wandering the Lanes, playing on arcades, roller coasters on the pier, card games, sunbathing, paddleboarding and swimming. For the majority of the day, Robin could be seen far out at sea, relaxing on a paddleboard with a beer in hand. Talk about team spirit!

As the hours flew by, and skin got pinker, we packed up and headed for some classic summer food…a curry. We enjoyed a large table set menu with starter platters, street food-style small plates, biryanis, tandoor dishes, curries, and sides. Before too many cocktails were had, we seized the opportunity to celebrate our team's achievements, with Miruna earning the prestigious title of 2024 MVP for her exceptional hard work and unwavering support. Congratulations, Miruna! Followed by a surprise celebration for Alice as we announced her nomination for Mix 30 Under 30.

With full bellies, we moved onto a sophisticated speakeasy bar with live jazz music for dancing and G&Ts galore. Things then took an interesting step change as evening turned into night and we followed the streams of students into a dubious-looking nightclub. It was pure nostalgia - sticky carpets, the sweet smell of alcopops, cheesy tunes, dodgy clobber and even dodgier dancing. But, our plastic-free day was ripped from our grasp as we were handed our beverages in more plastic than we cared to witness. We couldn’t let that get us down, so to lift our spirits we boogied the night away while teaching the Macarena dance to anyone who would watch.

Yet again our culture team organised another superb summer day out. The last six months have been a blast and we’re proud of everything our team has achieved together!