Celebrating achievements

the achievements of individuals and businesses in Kent. I am sure you will agree, there is nothing better than celebrating success in business. The prestigious event will be held at Westenhanger Castle on Thursday 23rd November. I look forward to seeing you all there!

MegaGrowth 50 has made a welcome return to celebrate Kent’s fastest-growing businesses and is now open for applications. Now in its 20th year, this prestigious league table is brought to you by business advisors and accountants, Kreston Reeves and law firm Brachers, in partnership with Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce. We are delighted to be supporting MegaGrowth 50 for the first time. Our county is a fantastic place to grow a business and I look forward to seeing the entries.

It is great news that plans that will improve the skills of the Kent and Medway workforce have been given the vote of confidence by the Rt Hon Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education. It follows the work of the Chamber after we were appointed last year by the

Government to be one of eight national trailblazers designed to influence the local skills agenda in partnership with the county’s Further Education (FE) colleges. Ensuring the needs of Kent and Medway businesses are at the centre of the skills conversation is crucial.

Danielle Cassidy’s rise from apprentice to Managing Director of MC Personnel Ltd is an inspirational read on p.16-17. Her passion for nurturing young talent and providing apprenticeships for people of all ages shines through – like she says, it is how she started out in business. Celebrating 25 years in business, Danielle talks about the ways her team is future-proofing the company.

While we often plan for the future of our businesses, some of us can be guilty of neglecting our personal later life planning. I hope you find our coverage on this important topic a useful read to prompt you into getting your affairs in order.

Ashford is on the rise thanks to significant investment in the area. A £250 million regeneration project on the former Newtown Railway Works to transform the site into a mixed-use development of television and film studios, film school, commercial space and hotel will bring significant investment and job creation to the area. In Brompton, the planning application for a new factory could provide up to 4,000 jobs for the Kent economy. Ashford College’s £10m extension is now complete and will bring an extra 250 students to the college each year. Fantastic news for the region. Summer holidays may seem like a distant memory, but it is refreshing to see that the Port of Dover has seen traffic volumes return to pre-pandemic levels, a welcome economy boost for the area.

I look forward to seeing you all very soon.

Jo James OBE, Chief Executive, Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce

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Editorial and General Enquiries Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Ashford Business Point, Waterbrook Avenue, Sevington, Ashford, Kent. TN24 0LH

Chief Executive: Jo James OBE Tel: 01233 503 838 info@kentinvictachamber.co.uk www.kentinvictachamber.co.uk

Media No. 1933

Published October 2023

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