Teams are gearing up for a new and exciting challenge at the 2017 Gloucestershire Business Show.

The inaugural Gloucestershire Business Games, taking place across both days of GBS17 at Cheltenham Racecourse on 17-18 May, will provide companies with the platform to showcase their talents in a competitive but fun environment.

With the Games set to take a different form every year, the challenge for teams this year is to design, build and race a pedal car at speeds of up to 20mph around a specially-built circuit at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Race director Rob Harris said: "The Gloucestershire Business Games Pedal Car Race is designed to provide competing teams with a tough but rewarding experience.

"It is all about building new relationships within the company and people finding skills and strengths they did not know they had, as well as building relationships across departments.

"It is an opportunity for people who are in one side of a business and never really touch base with any of the others to take part in a joint enterprise.

"It is nice to have something outside of normal activities to focus upon and discover talents that you did not know you had.

"For the company, it is a chance for them to show that they embrace fun - I think it is important to do that."

The first race, on 17 May, will be a three-hour endurance event and the winner will be the team that completes the most laps in that time.

The next day, there will be timed sprints with the winner being the fastest around the course, using the same pedal cars.

Among the companies which have already signed up to take part is the Cheltenham-based advanced materials producer Versarien.

Versarien CEO Neill Ricketts said: "As a company we are under a lot of pressure all the time and busy at work, so sometimes you need activities like this to bring the team together.

"It is great to see the guys working together to achieve something at the end of it - it gives them something to aim for.

"For the younger guys it is a great opportunity to work with some of the older guys and draw down on some of their experience, which is not necessarily related to what they do on a day-to-day basis but is important learning for them.

"We hope to also use it as a showcase for some of the materials we have available and we are expecting quite a lot of PR around the whole event.

"We'll also be using the Business Games to help raise sponsorship for Open House, the Stroud charity which helps vulnerable and disengaged individuals to become independent.

"For all the teams taking part, it will be a great opportunity to raise money for a number of local causes."

For information about taking part in the Gloucestershire Business Games Pedal Car Race, or booking an exhibitor stand at GBS17, visit www.gloucestershire-business-show.co.uk  or telephone 01242 807689.

Readers' comments:

Mike Lawrence: What a good idea. Firms should help and support teams, and good fun had by everyone.

Picture: Versarien CEO Neill Ricketts (right) with Scott Williams, Steve James, John Tatlow, Kane Meekel, Nigel Launton, David Jenkins, Ben Thomas in driving seat and student Abby Owen