Chambers of Commerce remain a global brand

You might be surprised to know that Chew Valley Chamber of Commerce actually has an International section. It’s not that big, actually it’s just a single member, but it illustrates the fact that the organisation is recognised around the world.

When Steve Hirst moved to Africa he wanted to stay connected to his old friends and business colleagues so it was natural for him to remain as a member. In fact, wherever you go in the world you will find a Chamber of Commerce, providing the same sort of services as we all do – linking members, providing information and representing their interests in the corridors of power.

But Chambers also provide something else. They are seen as such a trusted organisation that their stamp is an absolute requirement when it comes to many international documents which allow global trade to take place.

Closer to home we have British Chambers of Commerce which gathers in comment and opinion about business matters all over the country and make sure that Government is aware of what people are saying. They are able to have direct contact with Ministers to make sure they are clear about the needs of business people when it comes to forming policy.

It was never more important than over the last couple of years as businesses tried to navigate their way through the difficulties produced by the pandemic and Chambers of Commerce were a vital conduit for real world information which helped the Chancellor when it came to his decisions about how to keep the economy afloat in the most testing of circumstances.

At a local level, we did our best for our members, passing on useful information as it came to light, often with fast moving changes. We have been able to keep our linkages in place by switching to zoom meetings, and we have even been able to squeeze in one face to face gathering before the onset of the last variant put the brakes on.

Fingers crossed that the number of Covid cases continues to decline and it will be possible to get back to something closer to normality before too long. We will be particularly looking forward to doing something to properly celebrate our 20th anniversary, which has been put on hold.

If you’d like to join us in Chew Valley Chamber of Commerce please email tintinna@aol.com or have a look at our website – www.chewvalleychamber.co.uk