CHAMBER NEWS CHAMBER NEWS


As I write this article, I have been in situ at the Chamber for roughly three months. In my role to help drive forward the modernisation of the Chamber, I’m interested in comments about what the Chamber ‘does’ or ‘ doesn’t do’ for business generally and for its members in particular. When I ran my own business, I was one of


life’s doers that’s for sure, getting involved in a host of voluntary activities in Plymouth and beyond, including undertaking the role of Plymouth Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses for five years, being a Chamber Director on two separate occasions and sitting on the Plymouth Fairness Commission for over a year. It was often said in my office that I was too involved in things other than running my business and making money and there’s some truth in that... but I found so many things of interest and I learnt such a lot. For me, it’s always been a case of what can I put in, before I


LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES FROM DEVON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


It’s not just about what we can do for you…


By Lesley Shorrocks, Deputy Chief Executive Devon Chamber


think about what I can take out, it’s a family trait which has served me well on the whole. For Chamber members, there are numerous


ways to be involved in what we are doing and along with listening to what businesses say about what we do for them, I’d really like to encourage members to get involved in some of the things we already do. It’s a little like joining the gym in January isn’t


it? In the beginning, you have visions of how fit you’ll be in six months’ time - if only you actually go there and follow a fitness regime! When you don’t fulfil your promises to attend, that pesky gym still takes its monthly payment off you and you are still unfit… but then, that’s not the gym’s fault is it? Getting fit isn’t a process of osmosis (but if only that were true!) In the same way, if more members don’t


attend events, don’t give us feedback, don’t open and read our email weekly bulletins, don’t provide us with interesting copy for our bi-


monthly Chamber Profile magazine, then you’re not going to know what we’re up to and we’re not going to fulfil member expectations are we? So, with all this in mind, I am delighted to say


that this year will see a dramatic transformation for Devon Chamber and dare I say it’s been a long time coming. After 25 years running my own business, I


have a unique appreciation of the saying that no business can afford to stand still, but as we all know, the pressures of daily operations leave little time for future planning. It’s amazing how


10 Chamber Profile March/April 2018


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