Firebreak Week 2026: Finding Our Balance

Every two years at Affinity, we press pause on business as usual.

Firebreak Week gives us the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, bring the team together and reflect on how we’re working. It’s a chance to strengthen relationships, improve the way we collaborate and make sure we’re building a company that works for everyone – not just our clients, but our people too.

This year’s theme was Balance.

It’s a word that’s often associated with work-life balance, but we wanted to explore what it really means in practice. The reality is that balance looks different for everyone, so throughout the week we encouraged conversations about what helps each of us feel at our best, both in and outside of work.

Many of us came together under one roof in Cornwall, bringing colleagues from across the UK together for the week. Shared breakfasts, home-cooked lunches (thanks to Jonathan’s son Luca, our chef for the week!), evenings spent together and even the occasional tennis match, helped create the space to reconnect beyond Google Meet calls and project meetings. Simply spending time together outside of our usual routines reminded us how valuable those face-to-face moments are.

While much of the week was still spent working on our usual tasks and deadlines, we deliberately worked differently.

Alongside client work, we built wellbeing into the working day with activities like yoga sessions and optional massage treatments, encouraging everyone to step away from their desks, reset and come back with fresh energy.

Outside of working hours, many of the team also made the most of the Cornish surroundings with early morning runs, bike rides and sea swims before the day began, or by unwinding together after work – including a World Cup England game screening party! It was a simple but important reminder that looking after ourselves isn’t something to squeeze in around work – it’s part of doing our best work.

On Thursday, Russell Davis joined us once again for a coaching workshop to help us challenge our thinking, refine our systems and identify the small changes that will make a big difference over the next two years. From team-building games to deep-dive discussions into how our business runs, these sessions give us the opportunity to tackle the things that often get pushed aside during busy periods, ensuring we’re continually improving not just what we do, but how we do it.

A key part of the week was our Balance Wall, where everyone was invited to share their own perspective on what balance means to them.

We asked questions like What could Affinity do to bring more balance to your working life? and What do you already do to create balance for yourself? The answers ranged from early morning sea swims and working from cafés, to taking regular screen breaks and sticking to committing to closing the laptop at the end of the working day.

It was a powerful reminder that there’s no single definition of balance, and that creating a supportive workplace means recognising those individual differences and encouraging people to work in a way that suits them.

Of course, balance isn’t just about how we work – it’s also about making time to recharge together.

From a team-building session and a magic show, to boat trips, water sports, a sauna on the beach and a relaxed team lunch, the week was filled with opportunities to step away from our desks, strengthen relationships and simply enjoy spending time together in wonderful surroundings. Some of the best conversations and ideas happened when we weren’t sitting behind a screen.

To round off the week, everyone headed home with a Firebreak goody bag filled with Affinity merchandise, including tote bags, branded socks, water bottles and notepads – a small reminder of the conversations, ideas and momentum we’d built together.

We left Cornwall with more than a list of actions.

We came away with stronger relationships, fresh perspectives and a clearer shared vision of where we’re heading as a company. Most importantly, we left feeling more connected, more motivated and more confident that the way we work is just as important as the work we deliver.

That’s what Firebreak Week is all about. It’s a chance to pause, reflect and reset, making sure we’re building a business that supports brilliant work, prioritises wellbeing and continues to evolve alongside the people and clients who make Affinity what it is.

Here’s to Firebreak 2028!