Keeping businesses connected through Covid crisis

As businesses grapple with ever-changing conditions imposed by the Covid-19, networking group Sutton Coldfield Business Connections is calling for the business community to come together in a bid to survive the crisis.

The free networking group, run by Michelle Stammers in partnership with Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce, meets at the Townhouse Hotel and Bar every two months and connects around 80 businesses.

With face-to-face networking on the backburner for the foreseeable future, Sutton Business Connections is creating a virtual community for its 250 members to bring businesses back together.

While Michelle is keen to get everyone back together as soon as possible, she’s eager to address the need to connect right now.

She said: "We can’t wait to be able to meet up in person, but in the meantime we want to reconnect Sutton businesses so we can help each other recover from the Covid crisis.”

Chartered accountants and business advisors Grant McKnight are on board as the official sponsors and growth plans also include the introduction of a team of experts to expand the SCBC network and to offer members additional promotion and support.

Joanna Drinkwater, chartered accountant at Grant McKnight, said: “We’re proud to be part of the Sutton business community and we were impressed with Michelle’s proactive approach.

"We’re a strong community and if we pull together, we can help each other survive.”

The team of experts include networking partner Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce, website designer Darren Langley, visual communications specialists Johnson and Connolly, HR specialist Jane Galvez from Ripple HR, branding and graphic design expert Kate Curry from The Curry Design Studio and copywriter Anita Ellis from Lexicomm marketing communications.

Chris Brewerton, divisional director of Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Sutton Coldfield Chamber very much supports any work done by members of the business community to connect local companies across the area.

"As a Chamber, we have made some great links with members, non-members and other organisations through the link to the Sutton Coldfield Business Connections group, both pre and post-lockdown.

"Seeing that support network continue to grow as we move towards 2021 can only be positive for the area.”

To get involved, click here or follow on LinkedIn here.

Pictured: Michelle Stammers and Joanna Drinkwater

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