We posted our strongest set of results in more than 30 years at our AGM this week and the figures were boosted further with the announcement of our first Executive Partnership arrangement with ABGI-UK.
Knowsley Chamber reported a 25% increase in Chamber Memberships in 2019. This increase in memberships alongside additional contract wins during the year for further business support (such as Brexit Readiness) all contributed to a bumper year.
The good news continued as ABGI-UK was announced as the Chamber’s first ever Executive Partner.
Lesley Martin-Wright, Chief Executive, Knowsley Chamber, said: “Knowsley Chamber has had a very strong year on the back of solid economic growth, across Knowsley. We appointed our first Business Development Manager back in June and now we can reveal that we have stepped up our engagement offer with our first Executive Partner. This higher level of partnership support will help us to deliver more networking events, provide more support for our members and help the Chamber to steadily grow. We are delighted to welcome ABGI-UK into membership.”
ABGI-UK will become the official sponsor of the popular Knowsley Manufacturing Network for 2020. The network, chaired by Rod Wah, Beverston Engineering, is one of the most active and well supported business networks in Knowsley. The Partnership will allow ABGI-UK to raise their profile in Knowsley with co-branding at events and speaker opportunities during the year.
Russell McGrath, Innovation Funding Specialist for ABGI-UK, said: “We are really looking forward to working with Knowsley Chamber and meeting the members. Knowsley has a fantastic Manufacturing sector and with a constant focus on innovation, the manufacturing and engineering industries are vital to the UK economy. Whether companies are developing prototypes or enhancing their manufacturing processes, making better use of the various innovation funding available to UK businesses should help these companies free up more funds for reinvestment in innovation within the sector.”
The addition of former Jaguar Land Rover Communications Executive, Neil Roscoe, as Business Development Manager from June has also helped to take Knowsley Chamber to the next level.
Alan Seeley, Chairman of Knowsley Chamber, said: “Knowsley Chamber is reflecting the growth and confidence we are seeing across Knowsley. Adding Neil to the team in the summer, with his experience, gained at one of the UK’s biggest brands, has helped us to take Knowsley Chamber up to the next level and I expect to see further growth next year.”
Other successes/achievements highlighted at the 2019 AGM included:
- 811 company engagements and 325 business meetings
- 34 events with over 1100 delegates
- 100 calls to Quest for legal support, 2000 legal website views and 700 document downloads
- In depth Brexit Business Readiness support and 1:1 surgeries
- Launch of inaugural Knowsley Apprentice Partnership Programme with All Saints High School
- 18 Wellbeing grants delivered and 105 businesses received Wellbeing support
- New website home page: New Member2Member offers webpage: New CharityHub webpage
- 2,768 Followers on Twitter. 160 Tweets resulting in 170,000 Impressions and 1,097 Likes
- 800 Followers on Instagram
- Renewed Facebook page. First 10 Posts reached over 1,000 people and had 151 engagements.
- Launched The Shakespeare North Playhouse 100 Club
- Inaugural business forum bringing together Armed Forces Covenant award winners from across the City Region.
