Thanks to support and funding from the East Suffolk Business Association Development Fund, Felixstowe Chamber has been able to subscribe to the Zoom video conferencing tool and can now hold virtual committee meetings.
The funding also allowed the Chamber to boost its social media presence and acquire some training so it can provide more sophisticated video conferencing and webinars that will help members adapt to the “new normal” conditions as small and large local businesses start re-opening and seek new ways to attract customers and trade.
The Chamber has also been using Zoom to arrange virtual networking for all Chamber members and these are proving popular, with growing attendance and participation. This started with a morning coffee time Zoom meeting when the 8 attendees felt that it was a positive and useful event. This was followed by another virtual get-together in the early evening, when members were asked to join with a glass of wine for a networking event.
This event attracted more than a dozen members and Suffolk Chamber’s Business Adviser Koyas Miah was also invited to attend, as the discussion was focused on re-opening local businesses. Koyas was able to update the members on the latest advice and to answer all their questions.
Plans are now in the pipeline for a special free training taster session on remote working and time management for the next virtual networking event.
If you are a business association in East Suffolk and would like to apply for a grant from the East Suffolk Business Association Development Fund, please visit our Business Associations and Networks page where you will find the guidance and application form.