Chamber of Commerce Meetings

Town Council Meeting 19th March 2008- Download update >

Business Meetings

These are scheduled for the third Tuesday of each calendar month except December, normally from 6.30pm to 8pm, and are open to all Members to attend but only the elected Officers may vote.  The current [May 2007] venue is at the offices of Wenn Townsend in Victoria House, 10 Broad Street, Abingdon, OX14 3LH, with a further venue offered at the Management Centre of Abingdon Business Park, Wyndyke Furlong, OX14 1DY.  Minutes are distributed to all Members who have registered their e-mail address, and in hard-copy format to any Member who has requested this and has provided a stamped-addressed-envelope to the Hon.Secretary.

The format of each Meeting is similar, with Welcome and Apologies for Absence;  the Minutes of the previous meeting;  correspondence received;  a report from each Sub-Committee;  a Treasurer’s Report;  other Agenda items;  and finally Any Other Business.  Any Member may propose an Agenda item for discussion, by prior notification to the Hon.Secretary.  All Members are reminded by e-mail at least three days before each meeting.

On occasion a speaker is invited to speak to a specific topic, in which case the Speaker talks at the start and leaves before the first Agenda item is taken.  On such occasions the meeting will last for up to 2 hours.

Breakfast Networking Meetings

Breakfast Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month except January, opening at 7.30am for a 7.45am start.   Currently they are held at the Broad Face Pub, 30–32 Bridge Street, Abingdon, OX14  3HR ( 01235  524516, where the proprietors (who are Chamber Members) provide the venue, FairTrade tea & coffee and refreshments.  The main purpose of Breakfast Meetings is for Chamber Members to network.  The formal meeting is timed to finish by approximately 8.30am, after which there is an informal gathering until about 9am, offering extended networking opportunities.

At each meeting an invited Speaker talks on a topic of interest to the local business community.  We have heard from the Business Link, a taxation practitioner, the Leader and Opposition Leader of the VWHDC, a specialist on stress in the workplace, and the MP for Abingdon.  Additionally there is an opportunity for one Member at each meeting to update those present on what their business does and the services provided.

Breakfast Meetings are open to prospective members, who are welcome to join in the Breakfast Meeting.  This is also an opportunity to speak to current Members, find out how the Chamber is growing and moving forward, and – hopefully! – decide to join the Chamber.  Members are therefore able to offer prospective members the opportunity to see if they would like to join, and they can download an application form here

For more information on these meetings please contact us