Networking Group celebrates Crystal Anniversary

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire celebrated its Crystal Anniversary at its October lunch event at Stanley House Hotel & Spa, after hosting monthly networking meetings in the county for 15 years.

First launched in 2009 by organiser Karen Tems, The Business Network Central & East Lancashire is a membership organisation, bringing together business leaders and decisionmakers in a structured, lunch-based format that aims to help businesses connect and provide introductions for each other.

Now with over 130 members, each lunchtime event includes an optional morning seminar, delivered by specialists from within the group on a range of topics from business strategy, growth and succession planning to personal development and mental health in the workplace.

As well as its main monthly lunch events, the organisation also hosts separate specialist sector spin-off groups, allowing people working in similar and aligned industries to network together and focus on issues they mutually face.  

Toasting the anniversary with the entire membership during a special celebration at this month’s event, Karen said: “The last 15 years have been something of a whirlwind.

“In some ways, it seems like only yesterday that we were launching our inaugural meeting, but there has been a lot of water under the bridge since then.

“Launching at the end of a major recession, and then having survived ups and downs including the pandemic and more recently the cost of living crisis, we’re really proud to have supported our members through good times and bad.

“When I founded the group that became Business Networking Central and East Lancashire, I discovered my dream job aged forty-nine.

“I’ve been ‘in flow’ pretty much ever since, and I’m as excited about the Business Network now as I was fifteen years ago. In the early days, I had so much help from so many people: we supported each other through the tough times and came through together. I would like to say a huge thank you to them all.”

For more information about future events from The Business Network Central & East Lancashire, go to www.bncel.co.uk.