WELCOME

Spring has arrived, and the Chamber has been bustling with activity as we transition to our new office.

We have relocated from ThamesSide Studios near the Thames Barrier in the Royal Borough of Greenwich to Thamesmead. Our new base in Bexley offers a picturesque view of Southmere Lake, home to many swans. We are now situated within The Nest Community Building and Library at 3 Cygnet Square, a remarkable facility that is part of Peabody's regeneration of Thamesmead. As President of the South East London Chamber of Commerce (SELCC), I proudly represent Peabody on the Board.

I had the honour of serving as a judge on the panel for the Best of Royal Greenwich Business Awards 2024, in association with SELCC.

The panel faced a challenging task in selecting the winners, who were celebrated at a splendid luncheon at the InterContinental London –The O2 in early February. Details of the event and the winners can be found on page 11. SELCC has generously offered a year's free membership to the winners, and we are collaborating with some of them on their business journey.

Our Chamber has recently become an Affiliate of the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network and participated in the Conference 2025, held at Woolwich Work. Coverage of this event is available on page 10.

In this issue, you will find reports on events we have hosted across our five boroughs, including an Executive Lunch in Croydon's magnificent Town Hall. Originally opened in 1896 when Croydon was part of Surrey, the Town Hall underwent restoration and renovation in the mid-80s. We had the privilege of dining in the beautifully wood-panelled former Council Room. Executive Mayor Jason Perry joined us for lunch following his attendance at the breakfast launch of the London Growth Plan. This initiative aims to turbocharge London, and Mayor Jason shared insights on Croydon's plans to revitalise the borough as part of the London plan. Coverage of the London Growth Plan can be found on the following two pages of this Spring issue of the Masthead.

Warm regards,

Christofi Christou President, South East London Chamber of Commerce

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