Associated Chambers

DORSET BUSINESS FOCUS / NEWS Associated Town Chambers

Bridport Business Chamber of Trade and Commerce

www.bridportbusiness.org.uk Our mission is to ensure that Bridport provides the ideal environment for businesses to thrive and to supply the goods and services that the town and surrounding area needs to remain economically vibrant.

Dorchester Chamber for Business

www.dorchesterchamber.co.uk We play an active role helping to promote local business and enterprise, representing a wide range of businesses both large and small. Our priority is to help our members work together to boost trade. In addition, we are also working with community partners on our Retain & Retrain campaign to promote apprenticeships and similar initiatives to further enhance employability in Dorchester.

Gillingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry

www.gcci.co.uk Gillingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been around since the 1930s. Many of our members come from outside the High Street where diversity encompasses old family firms, industrial estate units and new modern work-from-home and digital businesses. We are very much involved in local initiatives and other groups such as Town Council, Gillingham School, Gillingham in Gear, Dementia Friends, Town Team in particular. www.shaftesburychamber.co.uk The Shaftesbury Chamber has around 100 members from its two business parks and independent High Street businesses. They hold monthly networking meetings and are very active in the development of the town’s economy. Unlike many other towns, Christmas lights and activities are entirely run and paid for by chamber members.

Sherbourne Chamber of Trade and Commerce

www.sherbornechamber.co.uk The Sherborne Chamber of Commerce exists to promote its members’ businesses and the wider business community. It has a membership in excess of 150. The chamber is involved in just about every event that takes place in the town, supporting the Sherborne community, attracting media interest and creating a memorable experience for visitors to the town.

Swanage & District Chamber of Trade

www.swanagechamberoftrade.co.uk We have many ways of helping to promote all businesses in Swanage, the most popular of these is the Swanage Map. This is provided to tourists free of charge through all local hotels and the tourist information centre. As a member, you will be taking an active part in helping develop business opportunities in Swanage.

SturBiz - Sturminster Newton Chamber of Commerce

www.facebook.com/SturBiz The Sturminster Newton Chamber of Commerce was set up in 2018 and named SturBiz for simplicity. Its mission is to promote and enhance Sturminster Newton and the surrounding area’s economy and its businesses and support a thriving and effective business community.

Weymouth & Portland Chamber of Commerce

www.wpchamber.co.uk The chamber has been supporting businesses for over 100 years, encouraging and inspiring businesses of all sizes. We’ve helped many people to find their feet in the local business community, by providing an environment where they can connect with like-minded people. In recent years we’ve represented the concerns of businesses to the local councils, contributing to a significant cut in the cost of car parking charges. We played an important role in the establishment of the Weymouth BID, in whose operation we take a keen interest.

#GetBusinessDone

Positive future for Battens Solicitors

300-year-old South West legal firm Battens Solicitors is embracing a positive future with the launch of a new brand and state-of-the-art website.

The bold new look for Battens and its new client-friendly website has been devised in partnership with the Dorset based international brand, design and digital agency, Fathom.

The website has been designed with the user at the forefront; a simpler and intuitive site which is easier and quicker to navigate whether it is viewed on a desktop, laptop, or mobile device.

A new yellow and black colour palette has replaced the former dark blue and silver branding colours and the Battens logo has been refreshed with a more progressive and innovative design.

The new brand reflects the values of the leadership team which took over the management of Battens Solicitors more than a year ago. Battens has six offices in Somerset and Dorset.

Managing director of Battens, Ceri Stephens, said: “We are very proud of our 300-year-old heritage and legal expertise which we can offer to clients, but we are also a forward thinking firm with innovative ideas and plans for expansion. It is vitally important that we keep ahead of the curve in terms of technology, in the way we communicate with clients and the business world. The new branding and website deliver that, and we are delighted with what Fathom has achieved for us. They fully understood our vision for the company, an established legal firm meeting the challenges of the 21st century.”

Managing director of Fathom, Nigel Parsons, said: “After a series of brand workshops – diving into the heart of what Battens is about and the journey they are going on – it was paramount the new brand identity exuded their forward-thinking team, progressive nature and positive energy. Each component part of the brand reflected their new direction and positive future. The look and feel are being rolled out across all collateral including a new website that puts the user journey at the centre of the site’s development, designed to be ‘mobile-first’ for a consistent user journey across all platforms and optimised to reach a wider audience through organic searches. The team at Battens have been a joy to work with – totally professional and open to change.” www.battens.co.uk