Members and guests of the Beverley and District Chamber of Trade met on Wednesday 30 September at the Ferguson Fawsitt in Walkington for a wide-ranging evening of local updates, guest speakers and networking.
Chair's welcome: Tour of Britain and Shop Watch
Chamber Chair Shaun Dart opened the meeting by highlighting two initiatives with clear benefits for Beverley town centre.
- Tour of Britain finish – Shaun spoke about the positive impact of hosting a Tour of Britain stage finish in Beverley, bringing visitors, media coverage and a showcase for local shops and hospitality.
- Shop Watch – He also outlined the value of the Shop Watch scheme in improving safety, communication and collaboration among town-centre retailers.
Fairtrade Beverley: 20 years and looking ahead
Guest speaker John Turner gave an engaging overview of Fairtrade Beverley, the town's long-running Fairtrade campaign based at Toll Gavel.
Key points from his talk included:
- History and location – Fairtrade Beverley is rooted in Toll Gavel and has been active in the town for two decades, successfully renewing its Fairtrade status every two years since 2007.
- Beyond food and drink – While Fairtrade tea, coffee and groceries are well known, the group also promotes other products such as Fairtrade bobble hats and other textiles.
- 20th anniversary – Next year will mark Fairtrade Beverley's 20th anniversary, with celebrations and activities planned.
- Beverley-branded chocolate bar – The group has sourced a Fairtrade milk chocolate bar with a Beverley-branded label and is now seeking local retailers willing to stock it.
- Call for support – John asked for volunteers to help with events, and for anyone who can assist with social media content and promotion.
Town Council update: Winnie‑the‑Pooh centenary and community projects
Alison Healy reported on behalf of Beverley Town Council, including news of the Winnie‑the‑Pooh Centenary activities planned for October half term.
Highlights from the project so far include:
- A family trail around the town centre, with 16 shops already signed up to take part.
- Library activities such as themed story times, Lego "picture" workshops and map design sessions.
- Parkway Cinema exploring licences to screen related films.
- Longcroft School pupils writing stories for later publication.
- The East Riding Concert Orchestra considering incorporating Pooh‑related music into their October concert.
Alison thanked the Chamber of Trade for a £100 contribution towards the Pooh celebrations, and noted that toys collected through related activities will support children's charities. She also praised Beverley's role in the Bike Tour of Britain, saying the town had "done itself proud".
Rotary Club: Wrap Up appeal for warm coats
Dave Campbell attended on behalf of the Rotary Club to announce the launch of the Wrap Up appeal.
- The appeal collects warm coats for distribution via local charities to people who need them over the colder months.
Members' updates, buffet and networking
After the formal presentations, members shared their own business news and updates, followed by an excellent buffet provided by Allen Slinger, landlord of the Ferguson Fawsitt. The evening closed with plenty of informal networking, in line with the Chamber's aim of helping local businesses connect and grow.
Next meeting: Blok and Vine, Dyer Lane
The Chamber's next monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday 28 October at Blok and Vine on Dyer Lane in Beverley. As usual, it will offer a mix of short updates from members and guests, plus time for networking over refreshments.
If you'd like to attend, or are interested in supporting Fairtrade Beverley, the Wrap Up appeal or the Pooh centenary activities, the Chamber meeting is a good place to make contact and find out how to get involved.
