Around 90 businesspeople from Newark and the surrounding areas headed to the YMCA for Newark Business Club’s September meeting.
It was praise all around as members had chance to thank someone along with their usual introductions. A high level of collaboration between members of Newark’s vibrant business community was evident.
Today’s meeting was sponsored by Inspire, the organisation that runs the library service, offers a variety of adult education courses and workshops, and organises cultural events. This reflects its vision: Read, Learn and Enjoy Culture.
In the first presentation, Clare Janes and Jade Groves spoke about how their learning centre at the Buttermarket in Newark was transformed from a dingy disused space into fresh, bright and contemporary learning spaces. Inspire offers an eclectic mix of courses from Maths, English and English as a Second Language (ESOL) to IT skills, history talks and hobbies, such as crochet. There is something for everyone and people often transition from one course to another.
The Inspire College helps young people aged 16-24 to achieve qualifications in English and Maths. Working in small groups, they acquire the confidence they need to break through barriers, pass exams, and prepare for the world of work.
Inspire also works in partnership with local businesses, providing bespoke training courses to fill skills gaps. Through the Nottinghamshire Business and IP Centre (located at Nottingham City and Mansfield libraries), Inspire offers small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs a wealth of help, advice and information. This includes workshops, webinars, free access to business databases and market reports, as well as meeting rooms to hire at reasonable rates.
Next on the agenda was the business card draw. The winners of a write-up each were Andrea Henson of Meadow & Marquee, a first-time visitor, and Lucy Painter of Funding Round, a regular attendee.
I’d like to introduce Meadow & Marquee, an enchanting pop-up wedding and event venue, nestled within three acres of beautiful grounds in Sutton-on-Trent. Our Marquee is set against the backdrop of a serene willow wood and surrounded by lush greenery, it offers a magical and intimate atmosphere perfect for a special day, a memorable party or a team building event.
Meadow & Marquee is not just a beautiful location, we pride ourselves on our commitment to sustainability. Wherever possible, we use home-grown fruit, vegetables, and herbs from our gardens to craft fresh, seasonal dishes that reflect the natural bounty of the land. We believe in supporting the local community, and we work closely with local businesses and artisans to bring our clients vision to life. Whether dreaming of a grand marquee reception, an intimate, rustic celebration or team building and nature day, we tailor every event to our clients specific needs and desires, ensuring a truly bespoke experience. With Meadow & Marquee, a wedding is more than just a day, it’s a reflection of the unique story, crafted with care, community, and a deep respect for nature.
Meadow & Marquee
07950 912188
www.meadowandmarquee.com
This month, two business books were recommended in the Who Gives a Book?! slot. A copy of The Miracle Morning: The Six Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM by Hal Elrod and Range: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein were won by two lucky members.
As part of Newark Business Club’s Charity of the Quarter initiative, three local charities gave five-minute presentations about the wonderful work they carry out in the local community.
Sara Grant from Home Start Newark described how the charity supports local families with children under five years old, who are going through tough times for a variety of reasons. Volunteers visit and support families in their homes, a family support group for parents of babies and toddlers is held twice a week, and the Step Up for School programme gets children and families ready for starting school. Over the past 40 years, Home Start Newark has helped over 2,000 families and 3,000 children.
Malcolm Ellison of Newark Youth Trust gave some examples of grants that this charity has awarded to local clubs, groups and other organisations that help young people to stay active and healthy. One example was Mending Lines, a fishing club that aims to boost young people’s mental health and sense of connection through fishing.
Keith Girling of the Newark Patriotic Fund spoke about the assistance this charity gives to veterans and their families. An emotional video about a soldier’s journey and his sacrifice for his country was shown.
Following a vote by all attendees, Newark Business Club’s charity of the quarter was announced. The Newark Patriotic Fund’s excellent work in the local community will be supported by a total donation of £1,100 from the club, Newark Round Table, and the BNA Charity.
In addition, it was announced that Home Start Newark and Newark Youth Trust would also receive donations of £500 each courtesy of BNA Charity.
After the coffee break, Phil Johnson, the managing director of Radio Newark, shared some exciting news – the radio station’s audience has recently been extended. Radio Newark is now available on DAB Digital Radio, reaching over 700,000 people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in addition to around 60,000 people in the Newark area, where it is available on FM.
Phil told of how he set up the not-for-profit organisation in a room at Barnby Road Academy in 2013. Now, it is entirely staffed by volunteers and funded by advertising. The longest-running advertiser on Radio Newark is Smiths Timber Merchants, whose catchy jingle has been running for ten years. The business also sponsors Radio Newark’s sports programmes.
Radio Newark now operates from two studios – one at its new premises at Navigation House and the other at Newark College. Since early 2024, it has been collaborating with Newark Business Club to produce the Newark Business Show podcast, which is available on Radio Newark’s website and YouTube.
Before wrapping up the meeting, Simon shared some events happening starting with the annual Dragon Boat Festival will be held at Riverside Park on 15th September. All are welcome to attend for a day of family fun in aid of Beaumond House Hospice Care and the Children’s Bereavement Centre.
As part of Cancer Research UK’s Turn the Town Pink Campaign, local businesses are invited to transform their storefronts and host fundraising events on behalf of the charity in October.
The Future First Careers Expo offers the opportunity to showcase your business in front of more than 1,000 students. It will take place on 14th November at Newark Showground.
Looking further ahead, the Google Digital Garage event will offer local businesses free live training in digital skills. It will be held from 10am until 3pm on 29th November at the YMCA.
Finally, you can catch the latest episode of the Newark Business Club podcast on Radio Newark YouTube page here.
Newark Business Club’s next meeting will be on 4th October at 7am at the YMCA.
We are delighted to announce the following Patrons for 2024: Gusto Group|Funding Round|Reflect Recruitment|Barcode Warehouse|Motorfinity|PeachyEvents|Radio Newark
The YMCA catering team offer a range of delicious breakfasts which are available to purchase.
Please Book your tickets online
YMCA Community and Activity Village
Lord Hawke Way
Newark
Nottinghamshire NG24 4FH
For sponsorship opportunities, contact chairman@newarkbusinessclub.co.uk