BIG event for a BIG year for the Chamber

“I believed that technology would lead to more women being empowered to start and lead businesses and I thought it would help us to be even more of a ‘Global Britain’ that would build greater relationships around the world and lead to more trade.

“Some of the promise of technology is still yet to be realised.

“We also know that there are mammoth challenges that businesses are facing including energy costs, inflation and the tightening labour market.

Amajor event in Warwickshire has marked the start of a landmark year for the Chamber.

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce held the BIG Business Celebration Lunch at the IXL Events Centre in Southam with well over 200 businesspeople and regional stakeholders in attendance.

The event marked the start of the 120th anniversary celebrations for the Chamber, which was established in 1903 and has supported businesses through world wars, depressions, recessions and the global pandemic.

Guests heard from Chamber chief executive Corin Crane followed by Atul Lakhani, of IXL Events Centre, and Richard Harrison of No Ordinary Hospitality Management, which works in collaboration with the IXL Events Centre.

The event was then treated to a performance by Imagineer Productions before an inspirational keynote speech by Baroness Lane Fox of Soho CBE, one of the founders of Lastminute.com and the president of the British Chambers of Commerce. She said: “This Chamber has seen so much over its 120-year history and continues to support businesses in this amazing part of the country.

“I did not think for a second, when I started my business that the world would look like this in 2023. There have been so many changes and unexpected events.

“I often get asked how the economy is doing and it’s not a straightforward answer as it can be different for each sector, for each geographical area and for the generation of the business.

“I am, however, an optimist and I do think there is an opportunity to improve things for the better – in some cases its taking the low hanging fruit and, in other ways, it is solving more complex problems.

“There are three areas where businesses have to be ready to adapt.

“Everything that can be digitised will be in the coming years so there is no point fighting it. Adopt it and use technology to make us the most robust, resilient economy we can be.

“Sustainability and net zero are hugely important and will continue to be very high on the agenda for the future.

“And, we must ensure we build diversity into the economy whether we are thinking about gender or ethnicity.

“If we can move on those areas quickly, we can grow the economy and we, as a Chamber network, must continue to listen you our members to make sure we know what is important to businesses.”

Corin added: “When you look back 120 years ago to the establishment of the Chamber there were issues around skills, infrastructure and global trade that business leaders came together to solve.

“And, more than a century on, we are facing new challenges but, fundamentally, they are similar issues that we are collectively working together to overcome.

“As a Chamber, we’ve supported our members through so much – through global events that have impacted us here and through boom times in the region as well as Ghost Towns. We truly are standing on the shoulders of giants and that is why it is such a privilege to serve the businesses and wider community of this region.

“Coventry and Warwickshire has some of the most incredible businesses on the planet based here as well as fantastic universities and supportive local authorities and that’s why I am confident for the future.”

UBC Builds Entrepreneurship into Education with Fun ‘Grow With Us’ Project

UBC, a leading provider of flexible workspace, is sowing the seeds of entrepreneurship in local schools by running a fun sunflower competition.

‘Grow With Us’ is an exciting opportunity for UBC to work with primary schools across the UK and begin building the world of work into education, in a fun and inspiring way.

Centre managers at UBC’s eight locations and Inigo Business Centres’ seven locations have distributed packets of sunflower seeds to primary schools in their local area. School children, accompanied by their teachers, have been tasked with sowing the seeds and nurturing the young plants during the summer term.

The group who grows the tallest sunflower will win £1,000 in book tokens for their school. Participants will keep track of the growing plants and post progress reports on social media with the hashtag #GrowWithUs.

UBC’s centre managers will take a final measurement along with photos of each sunflower and judge the winners at the end of the school summer term.

The ‘Grow With Us’ campaign is an exciting opportunity for UBC to connect with local schools and give young people a positive early encounter of the world of work and entrepreneurship. It’s also a great way to introduce young students and their families to the idea of future employment opportunities that are available on their doorstep.

What’s more, schoolchildren will be taking part in a fun nature-based activity that builds on essential skills they will need for their future, including careful planning, good teamwork, and of course, regular care of their sunflowers.

Jane Erasmus, Sales and Marketing Director at UBC, said: “We are thrilled to engage with our local schools and work with young students in a fun yet meaningful way. We hope that pupils will enjoy getting outdoors during the final school term to take care of their plants and I’m sure they will take great pride in the end result, too. We’re excited to see the transformations from tiny seeds to beautiful sunflowers!”

Keep up to date with progress using hashtag #GrowWithUs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.