One hundred and seventy-five years of dedicated support for Hampshire businesses have been celebrated at an anniversary dinner.
The county’s independent ‘voice of business’, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, held its landmark birthday event in Winchester’s Great Hall.
More than 60 guests representing the worlds of commerce, government, education and voluntary service heard details of the Chamber’s long history as they sat in view of King Arthur’s iconic, medieval Round Table which hangs on the wall.
Hampshire Chamber traces its roots back to 1851 and the formation of a local chamber in Southampton designed to support firms in the port and wider town.
This was one of the first chambers in Britain, predating the formation of the City of London’s chamber by more than 30 years.
In his speech, Ross McNally, Chief Executive and Executive Chairman of Hampshire Chamber, invited the audience to consider what has changed in the seven working generations since 1851.
“Our Empire has come and gone,” he said. “Industries have risen, fallen and, importantly, shown ways to reinvent themselves.
“We have moved from sail to steam, from steam to rail, from rail to flight, from flight to digital, and now from digital into artificial intelligence.
“We have built social and cultural capital, wider access to education, greater equality, new routes and patterns of work, new forms of enterprise, opportunities for people who have felt excluded.”
All through this time, Ross said the Chamber had “connected, represented, challenged and supported” business in Hampshire, adding: “It has convened us when we needed to talk, encouraged us when we needed to act, and reminded us that business works best when it works together.”
Other speakers at the event included Mandy Boughton, Hampshire Chamber’s President, and senior Royal Navy officer Rear Admiral Andrew Rose who highlighted Hampshire’s pivotal role in supporting maritime skills in the region, nationally and internationally.
In her address, Anne-Marie Martin, Director of Membership at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), stressed the importance of the chamber network in connecting businesses keen to grow.
Hampshire Chamber representatives and guests at the 175th anniversary dinner in Winchester’s historic Great Hall
And two other national figures at BCC sent messages of congratulation.
One was Andy Haldane, BCC President and a former Chief Economist at the Bank of England who served on its Monetary Policy Committee, the body that sets the official UK bank base rate. He was the keynote speaker at the inaugural meeting last year of the Hampshire Chamber-backed SOGROW Southampton business symposium.
Andy said: “For 175 years Hampshire Chamber has been doing what chambers do best. That’s bringing businesses together, giving them a voice, helping business navigate what’s often a treacherous landscape. It’s ultimately about action: businesses working together to get growth going. That matters as much or more today as it ever has. In this challenging time for businesses, with Hampshire Chamber at the helm I know we can translate ambition into action and ultimately on to growth.” You can watch Andy’s video message here.
Andy’s sentiments were echoed by BCC Director General Shevaun Haviland, a former Head of Business Engagement at 10 Downing Street, who said: “Through world wars, recessions and a pandemic, Hampshire Chamber has been there for its businesses. That’s what chambers do. We connect people, we open doors, we help firms find the customers, the partners and the confidence they need to grow and trade. And Hampshire does it brilliantly right across the county for businesses of all sectors and sizes. You are a hugely valued part of our chamber network, with chambers all across the UK and around the world, bringing businesses together.” You can watch Shevaun’s video message here.
About Hampshire Chamber of Commerce
Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is the independent voice of local business across the county and one of the largest regional business networks in the UK. With a strategic vision to ‘unlock Hampshire’s potential’, Hampshire Chamber brings together the combined influence, strength and expertise of the county’s three former major chambers. It works with over 2,000 individual firms spanning all sectors and sizes of business. Member services include training, advice, international trade documentation, events, networking opportunities and lobbying to policymakers on issues affecting business. Hampshire Chamber’s business network is designed to help any employer to grow and thrive irrespective of their stage on the enterprise journey.