RUTH SCHEMBRI
Hawkesbury City Council is proud to be a champion of local small business and for a number of years have had dedicated staff assigned to support our ‘ Hawkesbury Business Hub .’
This Hub , available on our website , aims to be a one-stop-shop when it comes to seeking assistance , advice or knowledge about the small business world . By visiting www . hawkesbury . nsw . gov . au / for-business / hawkesbury-business-hub you will notice a number of categories designed to help you navigate the available information .
The first thing that you will observe is a copy of Hawkesbury City Council ’ s Business Recovery Plan , aimed to ‘ Regroup , Reactivate and Rediscover ,’ which was created in response to the fires , floods and pandemic . Out of the five key areas listed to ensure future economic prosperity , ‘ small business owners ’ are the number one priority . Through liveability programs aimed to update amenities , visual presentation of our town centres with continuous maintenance and constant engagement with business owners , Council plays a key role in setting the foundation for business success .
From there , you can access a Local Jobs Board , learn how to become a sustainable business , find a suite of workshops and learning experiences that you can register to participate in and gain a better understanding of Hawkesbury City Council ’ s ‘ Zero Barriers ’ partnership , which educates businesses on the benefits of accessibility and inclusion .
The best part however , would have to be the monthly newsletters that our wonderful staff put together and send out to community members for FREE ! There is a wealth of information here and it means that as a busy small business owner , you don ’ t have to search for this material yourself – it is all here in one spot for you ! Items include jobs , data and statistics on consumer spending , available grant opportunities , tax tips and workshop registration .
You can find a copy of the July newsletter here www . hawkesbury . nsw . gov . au /__ data / assets / pdf _ file / 0005 / 237776 / July-2023-Newsletter . pdf and subscribe to receive this straight to your inbox , www . hawkesbury . nsw . gov . au / forbusiness / hawkesbury-business-hub / subscribe-to-the-hawkesburybusiness-newsletter .
As your mayor , I am so delighted about the work Council are doing in this space , because as many would know , supporting small business means so much to me personally . In 2020 , I created the online Facebook group ‘ ShopSmall ’, which is still running and now has almost 20,000 members . Here , Hawkesbury businesses can post about the work they do , promote their sales and in turn , residents can search for businesses to perform work locally . Feel free to check it out today : www . facebook . com / groups / 209220260418881 /.
So , if you are a Hawkesbury based small business , you are in luck ! You have a Council ready and willing to back you and a community who is very enthusiastic about supporting homemade , homegrown , and homebased . There has never been a better time to keep it local !
Until next time , take care , Sarah
HAWKESBURY
CITY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INC .
The Hawkesbury City Chamber of Commerce is a not for profit association which represents the Hawkesbury ’ s Business & Industrial Communities .
We aim to provide opportunities for our local business owners to meet and share their ideas in a friendly atmosphere of like minded people .
We also seek to represent to local , state and federal governments the issues affecting businesses in the Hawkesbury .
with
Describe your business ?
Located at the heart of the Kurrajong Village , only an hour and a half from Sydney CBD , Schembrae ’ s At Kurrajong is a licenced restaurant open for lunch and dinner . Enjoy an intimate lunch with views to the horizon , or dinner overlooking the distant , twinkling city lights . Schembrae ’ s can also provide you with the perfect location for your event , from small network meetings , birthdays , anniversaries , weddings , baptisms and corporate functions .
What do you love about what you do ?
We love creating a blend of Mediterranean food and drinks with local produce from the Hawkesbury food basin , whilst delivering a home-style dining experience .
RUTH SCHEMBRI
SCHEMBRAE ’ S AT KURRAJONG
ruth @ schembraes . com . au or phone 02 4576 0500 / 0419 246 772
How long have you been a member of the Hawkesbury Business Chamber ?
Approx . 5 years overall as part of Blueberry Hills On Comleroy Pty Ltd . What is your greatest achievement in business ?
The restaurant has only been open since February 2021 and has thrived despite all the challenges that we have had to overcome within the period . We have also won the 2022 Hawkesbury Local Business Award restaurant category and were finalists in the Restaurant and Catering Association Awards Regional European Category .
Coming up
Business “ After 5 ” Wednesday 6 September 5.30pm - 7.00pm Location : TBA . Members $ 25 Visitors $ 30 Relax and network with friends and colleagues from the local business community . For more info : www . hawkesburychamber . com . au / events-calendar
Breakfast Meeting Thursday 17 August 7.00am - 8.30am Location : Crowne Plaza Windsor . Members $ 35 Visitors $ 45 Our breakfast meetings always feature great guest speakers and a “ Business Hotspot ”, which highlights a topical subject of interest to members such as change in legislation , update on legal matters , employment law etc .
Our events are a great way to find out about what ’ s happening locally and to get ideas and insights to improve your business . Of course , its also about networking and meeting others . Everyone is welcome to attend any of our events . More info : membership @ hawkesburychamber . com . au or call 0400 493 749 .
The Hawkesbury Independent is a proud member and supporter of the Hawkesbury City Chamber of Commerce
GROW AND DEVELOP YOUR PRODUCT OR BUSINESS ... JOIN THE CHAMBER !
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THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 159 // AUGUST 2023 13