Chamber cross-border event kicks off new opportunities for region’s businesses

Chamber Connect at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium provided a valuable opportunity for members to expand their networks beyond their home regions and explore opportunities for collaboration with organisations from across the wider Chamber network.

The event took place on Thursday 25 June and welcomed around 100 representatives from a diverse range of sectors for a morning of structured networking and knowledge-sharing.

As part of the experience, attendees also enjoyed an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Scotland's national rugby stadium, as well as the opportunity to visit Fingal Hotel – a five-star floating hotel and event venue permanently berthed in Leith, Edinburgh, owned by The Royal Yacht Britannia.

Tim Marsden, knowledge manager at the North East Chamber, said: “This first-of-its-kind Chamber Connect event was a fantastic opportunity to bring together businesses from across the North East of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“Events like this help members make valuable new connections, share ideas and open doors to future partnerships.

“We were delighted to work alongside our Chamber colleagues in Scotland to deliver this event and very many thanks to our official travel partner Lumo for providing complimentary return train travel.

“We look forward to building on the success of this Chamber Connect through future collaborations that create even more opportunities as we continue to champion our members, strengthen business networks and support economic growth across our regions.”

Lucy Davids, business development manager at Hotel Gotham Newcastle, attended the event. She said: “It’s been really good to be part of this Chamber Connect. From a business development and relationship point of view it’s been great to have conversations with businesses who are based in Scotland and travel to Newcastle for work. Forming these connections will help to increase our brand awareness.

“I want to further engage audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and this is a great way to start those conversations and create connections both from a business point of view and leisure and travel point of view.”

The Chamber Connect event highlighted the value of collaboration across regional boundaries and demonstrated the strength of the wider Chamber network in creating opportunities for businesses to connect, learn and grow.

Alan Busby, senior events and professional development manager at the Glasgow Chamber, said: “The Chamber Connect event showed what becomes possible when Chamber networks work across borders.

“Glasgow's business community has a long track record of collaboration, and this event gave our members direct access to new relationships in the North East of England and Edinburgh that would otherwise take considerably more time and effort to build.

“We are keen to see this model repeated, and to keep opening doors for businesses that want to grow beyond their immediate region.”

Emma Reid, commercial director at the Edinburgh Chamber, said: “This event is a great example of the strength we can unlock by working together across our Chamber network.

“We know that making connections is the number one reason businesses engage with us, so bringing our Edinburgh, Glasgow and North East England communities together creates even more opportunities - locally, nationally and across the UK.

“This is just the beginning of a collaborative approach that will help our members build meaningful relationships, access new markets and grow together.”

North East Chamber members travelled to Edinburgh with complimentary return rail travel provided by Lumo, helping to make the event accessible and supporting sustainable business travel.

Richard Salkeld, director of communications & partnerships at Lumo, said: “As an operator that proudly connects communities, businesses and opportunities across the UK, it was natural for Lumo to suggest bringing together the North East, Edinburgh and Glasgow Chambers for a cross-border networking event.

“Every day, our trains help connect people, places and ideas, and we wanted to extend that thinking beyond the railway by helping create new opportunities for collaboration between businesses on both sides of the border. Stronger connections lead to stronger economies, and there is enormous potential for organisations in Scotland and the North East of England to learn from one another, develop new partnerships and unlock future growth.

“We are proud to have supported this first-of-its-kind event and to work alongside organisations such as the North East Chamber, Edinburgh Chamber and Glasgow Chamber, whose commitment to collaboration mirrors our own. We look forward to seeing the relationships and opportunities that emerge from the connections made in Edinburgh.”

Chamber Connect forms part of our ongoing programme of events designed to support business growth, strengthen connections and help members access new markets and opportunities.