BDO plays annual football tournament as part of new company-wide wellbeing programme

World Cup fever may have passed for most of us but not for BDO, which has hosted its annual football tournament involving over 500 people from its 17 offices.

The annual event, which BDO has been organising for over ten years, was this year hosted in Manchester and saw teams from across the country travel for the weekend event.

For a number of years, there has been increasing emphasis on the links between wellbeing and exercise. In recognition of its importance within the firm’s culture, BDO last year launched a new firm-wide Wellbeing programme.

Proving once again to be a city of football, the Manchester office made the home advantage count with both the men and ladies’ teams winning and taking home the Competition Cups. Both will compete in Europe next year against member firms of BDO’s international network.

BDO’s financial services team beat Leeds on penalties in the Men’s Plate Competition.

Ed Dwan, partner and head of BDO in the North West, said: “The annual tournament brings together more than 500 people from all parts of the firm to spend a weekend together socialising and participating in a competitive sporting event.

“It’s a great friendly atmosphere featuring both male and female teams representing our offices across the UK.

“Some teams have trained for months; others have been thrown together at the last minute.  We even had a team playing in ties and waistcoats in honour of England Manager Gareth Southgate. Watching it all with my youngest son proved to be one of the most enjoyable afternoons I’ve had this summer.”

The new Wellbeing programme includes a Wellness portal through which its 4,000 people can access tips on improving health and wellbeing, the introduction of local Wellbeing Champions in every office, and local events ranging from ‘Wellness Wednesdays’ in Reading to lunchtime ‘walk and talk’ sessions with partners in Bristol. BDO says the football tournament is another example of how this can be encouraged in the workplace.

Michael Koppel and Liam Stretton, both tax associates at BDO, organised the national BDO football tournament.

Stretton said: “Exercise is a great way to de-stress and I really value the fact that BDO encourages and supports events like this.”

Koppel added: “The tournament is also a fantastic way to build relationships with colleagues in various areas of the business who we may not normally have opportunity to meet.”

Sacha Mistry, also a tax associate, who played in the winning Manchester ladies’ team, said: “Being given the chance to take part in activities such as the football tournament was actually one of the factors that helped me make my decision to join BDO.

“It was great to see the number of female teams who were taking part this year, and that the number is increasing every year.”