Aycliffe Business editor and panel host Martin Walker with( from left) the North East Chamber of Commerce’ s Jennifer Rycroft, Dr Jessie Kelly-Baxter and Natalie Connolly at the Aycliffe Business Park Community breakfast event, held at the brilliant GLOW venue.
CONNECTORS IN CHIEF
Chamber adds weight to Aycliffe Business Park breakfast panel
The latest Aycliffe Business Park Community( ABPC) breakfast event welcomed a heavyweight line-up from the North East Chamber of Commerce( NECC), as three of its senior representatives joined a panel Q & A at GLOW in September.
Executive director of membership Jennifer Rycroft, senior account lead Natalie Connolly and policy manager Dr Jessie Kelly-Baxter each brought insight, expertise and passion to a lively discussion that underlined both the strength of Aycliffe Business Park’ s community and the Chamber’ s role as the collective voice of business across the region.
Founded more than 200 years ago, NECC is the largest business membership organisation in the North-East, representing more than 2,000 member firms – together accounting for 40 % of the region’ s workforce.
Through networking, business support, policy influence and championing enterprise, the Chamber works to ensure the North-East remains a thriving place to live, work and invest.
After the panel discussion, which was independently chaired by Aycliffe Business editor Martin Walker, Jennifer said:“ What stood out to me was the genuine sense of community in the room and the positive conversations taking place.
“ At a time when running a business can be challenging, that kind of support makes a real difference.
Aycliffe Business Park Community board members – Paul Hind, Stu Howarth, Ian Proctor, Paul Howell and Pamela Petty – join the North East Chamber of Commerce representatives and Aycliffe Business editor Martin Walker on the GLOW stage.
“ It was a great opportunity to reconnect with members in and around Newton Aycliffe, meet new faces and highlight the value the Chamber can bring.
“ I look forward to building on this with the business park and supporting its business community.”
For Natalie, who leads the Chamber’ s account management team for the south of the region, the event was a chance to demonstrate practical support.
“ For me, the event was a really valuable chance to share more about how the Chamber supports, connects and represents businesses of all shapes and sizes,” she said.
“ A big part of my role is getting to know members and helping them make the most of what’ s on offer, whether that’ s advice, introductions or opportunities to grow. Hearing directly from local businesses about the benefits they’ ve experienced was hugely encouraging.
“ It reinforced why I’ m passionate about what we do, because the difference we make is real. This event captured that perfectly.”
Jessie, who leads on policy forums and stakeholder engagement for the Chamber, emphasised the importance of creating space for meaningful discussion.
“ As the voice of North-East businesses, it’ s important that the Chamber creates as many opportunities as possible for businesses to be heard, and nothing beats having real conversations with real people,” she told Aycliffe Business.
“ This event was a fantastic chance to do just that. In just one morning, we explored issues ranging from international trade and potential sanctions and shaping skills policy that works for both employers and education providers, to working with mayoral combined authorities to present a united voice.
“ Importantly, we connected people with opportunities and information they may not have had before, which is what makes Chamber membership so worthwhile.”
The panel added to another well-attended and well-received ABPC breakfast event, reinforcing the park’ s reputation as a place where businesses not only connect but also influence the wider regional agenda.
24 | Aycliffe Business