Cluster AGM aims to surprise and inform

Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC) has announced its AGM for Wednesday April 4 and is planning to surprise and inform its 180 plus members.   As well as the more usual energy-related business news, receipt of accounts and appointment of Directors there will also be presentations and an open forum with representatives of Cumbria County Council and the two local District Councils and presentations from Paint the Town Red and Age UK West Cumbria.

“Each year we try to include something a bit different in the AGM programme so that it is more obviously worth our members taking time out of their businesses and coming along to share in the decision making of the AGM,” says Phil Jardine, Business Development Director for the Business Cluster.  “Our meeting will be opened by Peter Frost-Pennington of Muncaster Castle with his perspective on working, investing and staying in Cumbria so that should get things off to a lively start.”

“Then we have several representatives of Cumbria County Council and Copeland and Allerdale District Councils on a panel to present their approach to infrastructure, planning, frameworks and procurement and to take questions from members about the implications of their decisions and plans for the region.  We’ve been trying to arrange this discussion for some time and hope that the forum of the AGM will generate plenty of ideas and debate.”

“Finally, we have presentations from two organisations working in our area: Tony Wareing of Paint the Town Red and Les Hanley and Mary Bradley from Age UK West Cumbria.  Paint the Town Red is a one-day music, performance and food festival in Workington town centre in May and Tony will be talking about the business opportunities and benefits of getting involved.  Then Les and Mary from Age UK West Cumbria, based in Whitehaven, will be explaining the organisation’s work, its broad local supply chain and plans in a changing environment for the public and the charity sectors.  Our members were slightly wary when Age UK joined BECBC as I think they expected the approach would be to ask for donations.  It turns out that the organisation in West Cumbria is one of our bigger employers, providing services across the area and keen to play its part in the future of Britain’s Energy Coast with an extensive network of suppliers so it will be interesting to hear from Les and Mary .”

Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster’s AGM will take place at Energus on Wednesday 4 April from 8.30am and is likely to be one of 2012’s biggest gatherings of Britain’s Energy Coast businesses with up to 200 people expected to take part.  Member companies need to book asap and details are online.  Businesses interested in joining Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster can find details and an application form to download on the website at www.becbusinesscluster.co.uk.