Brighton Chamber

Spring into Chamber events this month with some team picks for March! Here are some of the handpicked highlights including: ⭐️ Sarah’s - How to win pitches, bids and grants – a must for anyone that has to write bids, tenders or pitches to win a grant, get funding or for client projects ⭐️ Hannah’s - our next Pop-up Breakfast hearing from guest speaker Jon Trigg plus great chats and great food at Rockwater ⭐️ Luke’s - a Chamber classic, Slo-mo Networking, a fun way to meet lots of people effectively and efficiently, without the rush of speed networking ⭐️ Amy’s - the New Member Welcome; our welcome to the Chamber for new members to help them get to know their new business community Have a browse and book your tickets 👉 https://lnkd.in/gPhTX86

‘Never eat more than your mothers allow’ – wise words to start the day, courtesy of this morning’s ‘Make it up’ Chamber Breakfast with the brilliant Heather Urquhart and Jules Munns from AndAlso Improv. Heather and Jules kicked things off with a special improvised song dedicated to Mo Kanjilal’s transition coat – not just a seasonal staple but also a genie-esk source of £20 notes. Then came the real question: can we say gobshite in front of Sarah Springford? The jury’s still out. Heather and Jules led us through some quick-thinking improv exercises, proving that creativity isn’t a talent, it’s a skill.  ✨ So, why do they do improv?    Heather reminded us that talent is a myth. We’ve all been told that we’re ‘not good enough’ at something creative, or we ‘just don’t have it’ – but that’s nonsense. Creativity can be learned, so let’s not let fear stop us from trying. And for Jules? Aside from the riches (obviously), it’s about being ourselves – because when we bring our authentic selves to the table, collaboration thrives. In a world that’s changing fast, creative, human work is what will last. Let’s remember to value it. A massive thank you to Heather and Jules (and of course, Joe Samuel on keys!) for an energising start to the day.  Also, to Angela Maguire from Help to Grow for sponsoring and to Steve Bustin for hosting.  Next month, we’re back to Bill’s for another morning of fresh perspectives, new ideas and just the right amount of chaos. Join us as we hear from Silvie Koanda Co-founder of Sound Waves Foundation. Find out more and get your tickets before they go!  👉 https://lnkd.in/eVrGPzjq 

Earlier this month, we had a front-row seat to the world of policing – equal parts crime drama, high-stakes action and admin desk work – at our Behind the Scenes tour. While there were no Chamber member arrests to be seen, we did get a true day-in-the-life experience – stepping inside a police car, trying on handcuffs and even playing dress-up, as our photos will confirm 📸 The event also sparked important conversations about trust and accountability in policing. If you joined us, it was great to see you – thanks for being part of the event! If you couldn’t make it, not to worry – you can catch up on the highlights in our latest blog, written by the Chamber’s own Events and Marketing Assistant, Anna Langdon. Read the full blog here 👉https://lnkd.in/dKJXQ385 Special thanks to Chief Superintendent Rachel Carr, Sergeant Pete Hayward and Anita Grant, Chief Officer for Trust and Legitimacy, for making this event one to remember.

Exploring human connections and AI in our work, visits to new venues and welcoming new people to our business community - it's your week in Chamber 👋 Read your full digest below, with upcoming news and events from PLATF9RM, Learning Cog ltd and Possability People - plus meet new members Brighton & Hove Philharmonic, Eos Consultancy Ltd, Loud Women, IMEX and WeDoAllTech ✨ The Chamber team have been out and about this week with events at Projects and visits to The Chimney House - plus welcoming four new employers to the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign (inching ever closer to our milestone of 1,000 employers in the city). See you next week!

On Tuesday, ‘The Last Human Job: A conversation about connecting in a disconnected world’, brought existential crises and cakes to Projects where we explored the importance of human connection in an increasingly automated world 🤖🍰 Allison Pugh sat down with David Robinson, who facilitated a great conversation about the future of human connection and Alison's book. Allison shared powerful stories – from caregivers offering dignity and connection in moments of crisis, to the reciprocal nature of human connection. 🔑 A key theme? Connective labour – Allison’s coinage of the often-invisible work of truly seeing and supporting others. 🔑 A key question posed by David: Can AI and connective labour be friends? The simplified answer – no. Allison argues that automated work doesn’t just replace tasks – it degrades the work first. The idea that AI will “free us up for meaningful work” ignores the fact that the human work we’re losing is already meaningful. For business leaders, here’s something to consider: What is the impact of AI on relationships? Before embracing automation, think about the ripples it causes – that’s how we should decide if it’s worth supporting. David’s final question: Does opposing AI put us on the wrong side of history? Not all change is progress. AI demands our acceptance – so let’s think before we give it.  A big thank you to Allison and David for their interesting insights and to Gillian Sandstrom for connecting us to two brilliant brains.

Time for your weekly business community roundup ⌚ (you've been busy this week!) Give a big hand and Chamber welcome to new members, ASCEND Performance, Ziggy Lyons and each other's company👋 And we've updates a-plenty from Chamber members including: ⭐ Free postings for all apprenticeship vacancies on LoveLocalJobs.com for the whole month of Feb 🥇 Take your Instagram to the next level at Social Firefly | Social Media Agency's workshop on 26 March 🥞 Rich Ford and Bird & Blend Tea Co. B Corp will be at Lush Brighton on pancake day for a reading of his book, Unken Dunken Makes Pancakes (follow along on Instagram @unkendunkenmakespancakes) 🤳And, Social for Good's next webinar on 24 Feb is all about the buzzword of the moment: employee generated content Read more below, and we'll see you next week!

Did you know we run the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign? As far as we know, it’s the only business-led initiative of its kind in the UK – with 970 local employers signed up, it’s elevated the salaries of over 5,000 people across the city. And this year, we’re aiming to reach our next milestone of 1,000 employers paying the Living Wage in Brighton & Hove. Whether you’re a small team or a big one, every sign up helps us grow the campaign and have a positive impact on the people who live and work in our city. Find out more 👇

We've been popping up all over the city with Chamber members this week - from FOURTH AND CHURCH to John Street Police Station, terre a terre to Brighton GuestHouse Hotels 📍 We've also got seven new members for you to meet 👋 plus, news from Restaurants Brighton, Bird & Blend Tea Co. B Corp and South East Dance. Read your week in Brighton Chamber, below 👇

Building a sustainable Sussex is no small task, as Alice Berry, the Head of Net Zero for Brighton & Hove City Council, knows all too well. At the Chamber’s first Net Zero Champions meet-up of the year, Alice was joined by Natasha Bridge, Business Manager for Greater Brighton, and Emily Watson, Sustainability Manager at our venue of the evening, South East Dance, to explore the challenges and opportunities ahead. The key takeaways from the discussion include: 🤝 Building a collaborative network – strong partnerships are essential for tackling sustainability challenges together and learning from each other. 🏗️ Integrating whole-life carbon management into every decision – every decision must consider long-term environmental impact. If you joined us in January, it was great to see you – thanks for being part of the conversation! If you couldn’t make it, not to worry – you can catch up on the highlights in our latest blog, written by the Chamber’s own Events and Marketing Assistant, Anna Langdon. Read the full blog here 👉https://lnkd.in/g2MU37n4

Today’s ‘Winning’ Breakfast served up inspiration from the Brighton Table Tennis Club (BTTC) Founder and champions who certainly live up to the ‘Winning’ name. 🏓 Tim Holtam, Founder of BTTC, started us off with the club’s journey to success and its vision: a community where people from all backgrounds play table tennis together. BTTC started as a way for people to access the sport without privilege and has kept this at the heart of what they do, continuing to offer £2 concessionary rates for those in need. The humanity of the club shines through, a clearly effective method with eight of the UK’s paralympic table tennis champions living down the road from the BTTC. This is your call to pick up a paddle and join the legends at the new Moulsecoomb centre, open to all and opened just last week! William Bayley MBE, the UK’s most successful Paralympic table tennis player in history, ranked Word Number One, inspired us all with stories from his seven-medal career. Will didn’t just speak about his achievements; he shared his journey of resilience and the importance of mindset in elite sport. Because – to our speakers – it’s not just about winning medals (although Will certainly likes doing that, too!) – it’s about the people and the community they’ve built. Will’s coaching methods can’t go unmentioned: the extraordinary Bly Twomey is just 14 years old and a double Paralympic medallist, having only picked up a bat for the first time in 2021. Fresh off a night at the Sportswoman of the Year awards, Bly brought her energy and incredible story to our breakfast. It’s clear that this is just the beginning of what’s sure to be a legendary career. A big thank you to our speakers for a great start to our 2025 Chamber Breakfasts, to Angela Maguire from Help to Grow: Management Course for sponsoring, and to Pam Gordon for hosting. Next month we’re back at Bill’s for a brilliant morning of food (and networking) on 28 February, hearing from guest speakers Heather Urquhart and Julian Munns, the founders of AndAlso Improv. Find out more and get your tickets before they go! 👉 https://lnkd.in/dcYwmGRH