On 20th March 2025 , Bournemouth Chamber had its largest attendance of Members and Guests attending the Annual AGM and New President’s Dinner.
A major feature of the Oceana Room at The Cumberland Hotel was the newly adapted and now transportable Past Presidents’ Board that needed a new home outside the BCP Civic Centre in Bournemouth where Bournemouth Chamber staged and Chaired , for the past 109 years, the vital Local Government Affairs meetings asking questions of ‘the Council’.
As President of the Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce between 2008-2013 , I Chaired 60 LGA meetings for five years.
Having spent a decade in and around local Government , ending with the role of Chairman of BCP Council in the last two years , I found myself in 2024 back on the Board of BCTC.
With the resignation of the previous Vice President , and having closed my business in Bournemouth after 50 years , I believed I had the time , experience , energy and determination to set my sights once more to achieving a Membership of over 700 , as it was when I left in 2013.
Democracy has always been the most honest answer to problems large and small and any organisation , voluntary , commercial , clubs and associations can always rely on their Articles of Association , lodged at Companies House , to bring the optimum results steered assiduously by those whose hands are on the tiller.
The members of BCTC attending the 2025 AGM broke all records and two Votes were undertaken.
It resulted in me embarking on my 6th Term as the President of Bournemouth Chamber and with the most exciting prospect of building a new Board but with existing and engaged Past Presidents to guide me and attending to due process with Institute of Directors guidance and training to see a full and dynamic group of Directors.
I have placed an emphasis on Youth in Business and of all the revitalised ‘Specialist Network Groups’, some of which I created fifteen years ago ( like Arts in Business and Health & Wellbeing ) it is the ‘Next Generation Future Leaders’ who have excelled in building a potent and contributive force for BCTC.
The excellent Gallery of photographs by DK Capture Photography reflects the vibrant and diverse but harmonious range of Members and Guests attending the AGM Dinner that the Chamber hasn’t seen since we used to attract 300 to our Christmas Parties , again well over a decade ago.
As Membership climbs as before , BCTC now sit on the Destination Management Board and we have the ear of BCP Council , our local MPs , and we have an ever expanding social media presence.
Our Members’ Events such as Banter , Lunch & Learn and BCTC Breakfasts , which are all very popular networking events….with more exciting events in the pipeline…so make sure you never miss these regular Newsletters.
And as the “new” President , I am looking forward to meeting you and hearing your stories.
Thank you for choosing to do business in Bournemouth and , like our amazing Premiership Football Club , with BCTC too , “Together , anything is possible
