First and foremost, we are a group of VOLUNTEERS who give up our time to help local businesses within the Bournemouth area.
BCTC is a Limited Company registered at Companies House and we do not make a profit. We also do not run in the same way as a typical limited company because we are here to serve our members.
We have a Board of Directors and each Director is registered as such at Companies House and each of us are bound to act in accordance with the responsibilities of a Company Director and in accordance with the Companies Act.
We meet each month for a Board Meeting which has a formal agenda and minutes are kept of each meeting, with decisions made.
We discuss our membership, what we can offer to businesses, events that we organise, networking opportunities and general business support.
Each Director takes responsibility for certain activities e.g. social media, events, website, newsletter, promotions, finance, marketing etc.
We also have a selected group of businesses who represent us as Patrons, giving them additional access and business opportunities to promote their businesses in partnership with the Chamber.
We have a President and Vice President and can offer Directorships to a further 10 Directors making us a maximum team of 12 people. We are all here to support local businesses within the Bournemouth area.
Additionally, we run a bi-monthly Local Government Affairs meeting, giving our Members access to key stakeholders within the conurbation (BCP Council Leader, Councillors, Dorset Police etc) to air their views.
We hold an Annual General Meeting in March each year to appoint the Directorship onto the Board and report back to our Members on how we have performed over the year.
Our AGM is followed by a President’s dinner and during the year we hold a number of other events alongside our monthly networking, including Baron of Beef in September and a celebration at Christmas.
For over 100 years Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce (BCTC) has served as the leading voice of business in our communities. Founded in 1916 by a select group of small business entrepreneurs, the Chamber has steadily grown to service Boscombe, Kinson, Moordown, Pokesdown, Southbourne, Wallisdown, and Winton Trading Districts.
BCTC started out as a few dozen businesses banding together, when the Bournemouth Tradesmen’s Baron of Beef Association was set up in 1885 with the main purpose of meeting quarterly for the discussion of public matters affecting the general welfare of the Town and to also hold annually a Baron of Beef dinner on the third Thursday of February.
The Chamber membership ranges from sole proprietorships to locally owned independent businesses, to major institutions and organizations. Our diversity is one of our greatest assets, providing our membership with unique opportunities and a strong voice from which to address business issues. The Chamber also offers numerous benefits and services including networking opportunities, business and educational seminars, government advocacy, marketing and promotional campaigns and much more.
Our board reflects the dynamic business leadership in Bournemouth to position BCTC as the leading voice for businesses in the communities we serve.
Becoming a Patron of BCTC identifies your business as a leader in the Bournemouth economy. Providing regular access to key government representatives.
BCTC are linked with many other membership groups within the local area. You can find out more about who we work with using the find out more button below.
