A NEW business networking group has launched in Wokingham, aimed at building communities up as well as businesses.
Business Biscotti arrived in the Town Hall on Friday, June 24, with a special launch event hosted by the Town Mayor, Cllr Gwynneth Hewetson and featuring a short talk looking at plans to regenerate the town centre from Cllr Mark Ashwell.
It included a piece from Cllr Hewetson exploring how More Arts. hopes to help create street art for the regeneration project.
A raffle was held for a basket of goodies, which was won by Georgina Hustler from Antique Rose in Bush Walk. Proceeds from the draw went to the town mayor’s charity, SoulScape.
She said that she wouldn’t keep the prize, preferring to offer it to her customers.
“I’m going to put it in the shop to raise more money for SoulScape. Customers will be able to enter the draw,” she said.
The new networking group will meet monthly on Tuesday mornings. Each session allows members to come and go as they please and its website notes that “At Business Biscotti we are passionate about true networking. It’s about communication, trust and building relationships that lead to lasting and mutually rewarding business.”
The emphasis, organisers say, is on building relationships with a focus on how people can help their wider communities.
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Business Biscotti started in 2007 with a meeting at The Herb Farm in Sonning Common. Since then it has grown with meetings taking place across the country.
Non-members can attend two meetings before having to become members, paying £60 a year to do so.
The group’s ethos appealed to Cllr Hewetson, which is why she gave the group its backing for its inaugural Wokingham meeting.
She said: “I’m really impressed it’s something I’ve wanted to do within the town. There are so many networking companies around but all they’re concerned with is actually selling their own businesses but I believe business is made in relationships not networking. This is exactly that.
“I’m hoping that other people that come to the groups that we put together will now join Business Biscotti and I will work with them to do that.”
Graeme Reeves, director of the company, said that he was pleased with the turn out at Friday’s launch event.
He added: “The purpose of Business Biscotti first of all to help businesses people meet and build relationships. And we’re hoping to introduce them to people who can do business
Most important thing is [for businesses] to realise there is a community and their business is a part of the community and they need to give back to the community for everyone’s benefit.”
The next meeting takes place on Tuesday, July 26 at Cantley House Hotel from 9.30am to 11.30am.
For more on the group, log on to www.businessbiscotti.co.uk
