MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT & CHAIR

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP was invited on a tour of Crewe based ice cream van manufacturer Whitby Morrison this week. It follows the launch of their new cleaner greener vehicle which allows the van to operate on electricity when stationary instead of running the engine. Mr Kwarteng was joined on the visit by President of South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce John Dunning and Chair of Crewe Town Board Doug Kinsman. The Business Secretary was given a tour of the factory by Ed Whitby, getting to see the process of building a van from start to finish and also tried his hand at pulling a soft serve ice cream cone himself. Founded by Bryan Whitby in 1962 Whitby Morrison is recognised as the world’s leading manufacturer of ice cream vehicles. From a purpose built factory in Cheshire, England, Whitby Morrison produce bespoke ice cream vans and associated vehicles for the global market. The visit follows on from Dr Mullan raising the business in Parliament and setting up meetings between the firm and the Department for International Trade. Speaking after the visit Mr Kwarteng said “It was great to visit such an iconic family run business at the heart of Crewe's thriving business district. We should never forget that it is families like the Whitby family who are at the heart of our economy creating jobs and securing investment for their communities. Kieran has been championing this first rate Crewe export and success story in Parliament and it was great to see it for myself today and test out my Mr Whippy skills!” Kieran said “Crewe is the home of ice cream vans and it was great to showcase such a fantastic local business. They are a real ambassador for Crewe and the whole UK, exporting all over the world. I am determined to make sure we make the most of this unbeatable brand as I can’t think of anything better for showcasing Crewe and its business community and the opportunities they create for people to live and work here.”

The term ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ has been used extensively to describe the current stage in the Covid journey. However, I’m now viewing the journey as one of trying to find our way through a dense forest. Sometimes scary as we can’t see a way out and we may not see a straight path ahead of us. In fact, we may feel we have walked this way before and have ended up back where we started. However, in our walk (battle?) through the forest, shafts of light can often illuminate something that is quite amazing, causing us to stop and marvel. The many stories of selflessness that we suddenly come across on our strange Covid journey through the forest do indeed cause us to stop and reflect. So many of our local businesses have supported the community and have contributed their staff time, skills, and other resources to those who need help. Too many to mention here, but these stories reflect the spirit of our region.

However, over the last few weeks my attention has been drawn to the work of the voluntary sector in the region and how organisations have risen to the challenge of an increase in numbers of the homeless, the disadvantaged, and the vulnerable during this time. We are so fortunate to have in our community, charities that have kept going through all the difficulties, offering much needed practical and emotional support. Such charities are led by people with drive, entrepreneurialism, and a passion that this pandemic has uncovered, but at the same time they rely heavily on the contribution that businesses and individuals make. Real prosperity in our region can only happen when we address all aspects of ‘community’ – not just the economic but the social needs as well. We should not see the Third Sector/Private sector/Public Sector as three separate entities but rather we should view the drive for the prosperity of the region as something that can only be achieved when these three areas are integrated - overlapping and supporting each other.

There is a genuine drive to explore these mutually beneficial relationships. Organisations such as The Cheshire Community Foundation and Dianne Parrish of Cheshire Connect are doing a brilliant job of brokering relationships between the business and voluntary community. The Crewe Town Board has representatives from all sectors of Crewe to ensure they have an equal say and are working together. The advantage of working with charities is often sold to businesses as indirectly increasing the bottom line. And yet the community spirit in this region is such that businesses are able to look beyond short-term profit and instead, see the long-term benefit of making this a region that is not only economically successful but one that addresses social deprivation in our community.

I hope David Edwards of the Lighthouse Centre doesn’t mind if I quote him when he said to me that ‘Crewe has so much going for it, but it is covered with many layers – we need to peel back the layers and see the beauty’. I believe some of those layers have been peeled back during the pandemic and we have had a glimpse of what can be achieved through collaboration across all aspects of the community.

The Awards, postponed last year due to the pandemic, take place at Reaseheath College on November 19 – a venue offering greater capacity to social-distance if required. This year they are combined with the Chamber’s Annual Dinner featuring Falklands hero Simon Weston CBE as an inspirational guest speaker and tickets are selling fast. Now the countdown is on to an eagerlyawaited ceremony that has become a highlight on the South Cheshire social calendar over 25 years. Meanwhile judges have the difficult task of whittling down entries to select finalists who will be announced on October 6. Again the standard of entries is excellent. The Awards will also showcase the skills of Reaseheath College students who will be involved in food preparation and serving as well as floristry and venue decoration. Chamber Chair Dr Diane Wright paid tribute to the main event sponsors, accountancy firm Afford Bond, and support sponsors commercial property specialist Legat Owen and health and safety consultants Rhino Safety. She said: “The support of these local firms and long-standing Chamber members has been invaluable in helping the event take place and enabling us to have Simon Weston CBE as our guest speaker.