The Rookie

The Rookie is an Apprentice-inspired scavenger hunt in which teams compete to collect a list of unusual and everyday items. The challenge isn't simply finding things — teams have a limited spending budget and need to use persuasion, negotiation and quick thinking to get what Lord Sweetener is demanding.

Lord Sweetener is the fictional business mogul who sets the teams their scavenger-hunt challenge. He supplies the list of items and effectively acts as the boss the teams need to impress, adding the Apprentice-style business theme to the event.

The scavenger list contains a mixture of mad and mundane objects, with the exact items changing depending on where the event takes place. The team researches the local area and shops around your chosen venue so that every Rookie event has its own bespoke shopping list.

Yes. Teams are given limited spending money and need to work out how to obtain the requested items while protecting their budget. That introduces a negotiation element, as participants can blag, barter and bargain to get the best deals.

No. Each event is scripted around the chosen venue and surrounding area, including research into the local shops. That means the scavenger list is created specifically for your event rather than being a standard list used by every group.

The event can be run from almost any suitable venue across the UK. You need a room where the event can start and finish, while the scavenger hunt itself takes teams into the surrounding area to find their items.

The format involves teams heading out into the local area to source their items, so there is movement and a race-against-the-clock feel. However, the main challenge is not athletic ability; teams need to combine resourcefulness, negotiation and organisation to complete the list within their budget.

Yes. The Apprentice-style format deliberately introduces business skills into the scavenger hunt, with teams having to manage a budget, negotiate purchases and make decisions under time pressure. It gives the event a business flavour without turning it into a conventional workshop.

The event is suitable for groups of 10 to 250 people. Teams can be formed within the larger group so that everyone has a role in the hunt.

The Rookie typically takes around two to three hours. That gives teams enough time to receive their instructions, head out into the local area, negotiate for their items and return for the final reckoning.