Welcome Back, Cambridge!

During the Covid-19 pandemic, offices were deserted. As companies began to navigate the route out of working-from-home, we aimed to help boost team morale with a ‘Welcome back, Cambridge!’ project for office blocks and individual companies.

We wanted people to reflect on what being based in Cambridge offers them, particularly for staff engagement and wellbeing. Companies used our project to create an occasion worthy of meeting together in person for, and we had great feedback about increased team morale and a feeling of connection to the city

In September 2021, Cambridge BID paid for gifts from local retailers and personally delivered them to office staff. We were pleased to deliver books from Heffers; pre-mixed cocktails from Bottleproof by La Raza; notebooks and accessories from Paperchase; pastel de nata from Norfolk Street Bakery; fresh coffee from Real Eating Co; sweet treats from Fudge Kitchen; pastries from Tradizioni, Signorelli’s Deli and Stem + Glory; tote bags from Giles & Co, and house plants from Cambridge Bee to brighten up long-forgotten desks.

In March 2022 we gifted over 300 £10 Love Cambridge Gift Cards to levy-paying offices. The Love Cambridge Gift Card is accepted by 180+ businesses, so the project gave a BID-funded cash injection to local businesses that accept the gift card. The giveaway was timed to coincide with the city’s Restaurant Week, and to boost the economy through promoting a ‘shop local to your office’ message. Companies told us they used the gift cards as rewards, on team building days, and to celebrate milestones like long service employees.