Street Angels

It’s the highest amount of money ever raised by the Kings Hill based serviced office provider, which nominates a new charity each year as part of its pledge to support local communities.

Gillingham Street Angels works tirelessly with people experiencing food poverty, homelessness and financial difficulties.

Centre manager Toni Wilkinson said her seven-strong team had organised numerous fund-raisers over the year, including raffle ticket sales and clothing donations, and had ordered a delicious buffet from the charity when it hosted the successful Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Connections event in September.

“We’re delighted with the amount of money raised, which is all down to the generosity of our business customers,” said Toni.

The centre is home to dozens of SMEs and start-ups who occupy 195 office suites in one of the most prestigious business park developments in the South-East.

Following an end of year vote among its customers, the centre has chosen to support Offham-based Spadework in 2025, a charity which supports adults with learning disabilities to develop their independence and personal skills. This is achieved through diverse activities such as horticulture, woodwork and working in Spadework’s onsite kitchen and café.

Toni said: “We had a shortlist of charities, but our customers voted overwhelmingly to support Spadework, many of whom shop there for their organic produce and garden supplies. We’re looking forward to throwing our weight into supporting them next year.”

On another note, Churchill Square Business Centre’s business support coordinator Sandra Wood is set to retire at the end of January with plans to emigrate to Australia. She plans to move to Warners Bay, which is situated on beautiful Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, two hours north of Sydney, and home to her son, his wife and two grandchildren, aged three and five. “My son wants me to be part of their lives and for them to have memories of me.” It marks the end of a 14-year career at Churchill Square. Centre manager Toni Wilkinson said: “Sandra’s dedication, warmth, and professionalism have made a great impact on our team and everyone she has worked with. While we are sad to see her go, we are excited for her as she embarks on a new chapter, which is to retire in Australia to be closer to her son and grandchildren.”

Maybell Omatseye from Medway, Kent, has 13 years of experience in the Events and Venues specialist arena. Specialist in enhancing events’ development, delivery, and management, bringing a strategic and agile perspective to every partnership and leveraging strategic planning, agile coaching, and facilitation expertise to drive success across diverse teams.

As business leaders, we continuously strive to improve our products, services, and internal processes. At Brighter City Solutions, we’ve embraced a transformative practice from agile methodologies: retrospectives. And let me tell you, it’s a game-changer how we help event organisers develop, deliver, and manage events.

Event retrospectives are interactive, psychologically safe, and collaborative sessions. When facilitated well, they foster open dialogue after events to analyse what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved. It’s not about pointing fingers— it’s about uncovering growth opportunities. In event planning, where creativity meets meticulous coordination, retrospectives turn every experience into a stepping stone toward excellence.