Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade have launched their annual NI Small Business Conference. The event, which has been online only for the last two years, will take place in person on Thursday 9th June 2022 (8.30am to 4pm) at the Canal Court Hotel & Spa, Newry. It will include keynote speakers, case studies and an larger exhibition space.
The event is supported by principal sponsors Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, supporting sponsors Southern Regional College and Federation of Small Business. It is open to organisations from across NI, not just the Greater Newry area.
The conference will include expert speakers from specialist organisations and local employers who have continued to grow. There will be six workshops covering Finance, Sales & Digital Marketing, recruiting and retaining talent, Future of the High Streets, Sustainability and Energy as well as a focus on start ups. Keynote speakers include, Simon Hamilton, CEO Belfast Chamber and Glyn Roberts, CEO of Retail NI.
Tony McKeown, CEO of Newry Chamber of Commerce said, “We have been engaging with our members over the last number of months to better understand what the current challenges they face and opportunities they see. This Conference is all about connecting our small business community with each other and with organisations that can support them.
Our conference programme covers the main areas we here about when talking to businesses. We have inspirational case studies from many small businesses that have not only grown but thrived during the pandemic. Some hot topics include accessing finance for growth, the emerging gig economy to address the skills gap, growing sales online and across export markets, the desire to shop local and support our high streets, being proactive about net zero and how to deal with the surge in energy costs”
We are extremely grateful to our sponsors Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, FSB and SRC. Without their support we could not run this, not to be missed, conference”.
Brendan Kearney, Regional Chair of FSB, said “The business community have shown remarkable resilience over the last two years. For many it was about survival. However we are now looking to a better future. The FSB are here to help and this conference is a fantastic way to come together and discuss how we can work together to create a better economy for all. In Northern Ireland, we know that the economy is driven by small and medium enterprises. So please get involved and see what help is available.
Oonagh Magennis, Vice Chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said, “We are delighted to support Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade with this important initiative. As a council one of our key objectives is to support the development and growth of businesses operating in this region. We offer a wide range of other business support programmes and would encourage local companies to contact the Council to find out more”.
Tracy Rice, Head of Business Engagement, SRC commented “SRC are delighted to be sponsoring this important conference and to be working with Newry Chamber of Commerce and Newry Mourne and Down Council to support local business. We are thrilled to see small businesses in the Greater Newry area taking such a proactive approach. We work with many local firms and feedback from employers is that initiatives like higher level apprenticeships and upskilling current workforce is making a positive difference to their bottom lines.
The Conference takes place on Thursday 9th June 2022. To view the event programmme, speaker line up and to book your place, please visit newrychamber.com. The event is free for Chamber and FSB members and £35 plus booking fee for non members.