How Apollo Care Reconnected, Recharged and Reignited Creativity with a Hands-On Away Day
When you work remotely, it’s easy for the weeks to blur into one. Meetings happen through screens, conversations are task-focused, and the human moments, the laughs, ideas, and lightbulb moments, can slip through the cracks.
That’s why the Apollo Care Franchising team decided to do something different.
Apollo Care is an award-winning home care franchise with branches across the North West. The head office team supports franchise owners to deliver compassionate, high-quality care, work that’s both deeply meaningful and demanding.
So when Managing Director Cheryl White suggested a team day focused on creativity, connection, and strategy, it was exactly what they needed.
A Day to Pause and Create
The team joined us at our Cheshire Chapel Studio for a full-day Creative Away Day, designed to help them switch off, reconnect, and spark fresh thinking before shaping their Apollo 2026 strategy.
The morning was all about hands-on making. Each team member designed and upholstered their own noticeboard, cutting, stapling, and stretching fabric to create something unique. For many, it was a first, but that was part of the magic.
What made it even more special was how personal the creations became:
- Julia made two noticeboards, one for her daughter’s bedroom and another for her home office.
- Dom designed his for his son’s bedroom, choosing colours and textures he knew his little boy would love.
- Cheryl made one for her office and another for her kitchen, bringing a touch of creativity into the spaces she spends most of her time.
Each board reflected a piece of who they are outside of work, their families, their homes, their personalities.
“It was just nice to be away together, relaxed, chatting, and connecting. We left feeling proud, inspired, and closer than ever as a team.”
– Julia, Apollo Care
As confidence grew, so did conversation. Laughter filled the space, and by the end of the morning, everyone had something tangible to show for their effort and a huge sense of achievement.
“It’s lovely to take something home that you’ve made with your own hands. Every time we look at them, we’ll remember the day and what it gave us.”
– Julia, Apollo Care
From Creativity to Strategy
After lunch, the team shifted gears to look ahead, mapping out priorities for Apollo 2026 across franchisees, staff, and clients.
That creative energy carried straight into their discussions. Ideas flowed freely, barriers dropped, and everyone contributed with a new sense of confidence and clarity.
For a team that spends most days working separately, the difference was profound. The session became more than just a workshop, it was a reset.
The Measurable Impact
The results from the day speak volumes:
- Creative confidence increased by +87.5% (from 4.8 to 9.0 out of 10)
- Wellbeing improved by +27.8% (from 7.2 to 9.2 out of 10)
- 100% of the team reported feeling more relaxed than in their normal working day
- 80% said they were inspired to keep exploring their creativity
Before the day began, many described feeling tense or apprehensive. By the end, their words had shifted to calm, proud, motivated and accomplished.
“It gave people confidence they didn’t know they needed, permission to play, to just be themselves. You could see everyone flourish as the day went on.”
– Emma, SH Upholstery Facilitator
More Than a Workshop
For Apollo Care, this wasn’t just a creative exercise, it was a reminder of what’s possible when teams slow down to connect.
Working remotely means time together is rare, and often spent on business. This day gave them something different, space to talk, laugh, reflect, and simply be human.
“We all work from home, so getting together without having to talk business or figures was so special. It brought us closer together and gave everyone a real lift.”
– Julia, Apollo Care
And for Cheryl, it reinforced the importance of taking time out as a team, not just to plan, but to pause.
“We spend so much time looking after others. This day reminded us to look after ourselves, too.”
– Cheryl, Apollo Care
Keeping the Momentum Going
The team left with not only a handcrafted noticeboard but also a renewed sense of togetherness and plans to build more creative pauses into their year ahead.
As Julia put it best:
“We need to do this more often. It made a huge difference to all of us.”
Planning Your Own Creative Team Day
If you’d like your team to feel re-energised, connected, and inspired, just like Apollo Care, we’d love to help you design your own bespoke Creative Away Day.
Whether you’re planning for strategy, wellbeing, or simply time to reconnect, we’ll tailor an experience that fits your goals and your people.
Book a Discovery Call or call us on 01260 609021 to start planning your next team away day.
