Incidentally, just to let you know that the Workshop on Bid Writing for Local Authority Tenders on 25 March at RMT, Gosforth was excellent and particularly pertinent to my current job role. Both the presentation and facilities were spot on. This was the one that you sent me details of and which was provided free of charge for Business Club Members. It also made my job much easier to persuade St John Ambulance Training to keep up our membership of the DBG because Workshops like that are normally advertised at between £85 and £125 per session, so they recouped the annual subscription in 1 go!!!!!. I think our members might find that sort of comparison interesting.
Tom Dawson, Key Account Co-ordinator
St John
Ambulance Commercial Training Division (NE Region),
DBC is one of the friendliest networking groups I've come across. You get to see a core of regulars at most meetings as well as meet a large number of guests every month. The structure and focus of the meetings are useful but still allows for plenty of time for informal networking. DBC have created the sort of environment which encourages members to enjoy themselves and create much business for each other at the same time.
Joo-Lee Stock, Lindy Jazz
From the moment I joined DBC I have felt a welcomed and valued member. Networking with members I have found work, advice, support and most of all others who have a common mindset, understand what it's like to run a small business and make you feel like you are not alone. It's lonely at the top when you run a business but when you network at the club you meet others who feel the same way and suddenly you don't feel as lonely. Many times I have come away from a meeting feeling energised and ready to face the next challenge.
I arrived late at a meeting with the world on my shoulders and huge dilemmas over premises. By the end of the meeting I had been given support, advice, contacts, information and had also (though I didn't know it at the time) met my business mentor who I now value very highly. I left the meeting with new confidence and a fresh outlook - thank you DBC!
When I joined the club I had just started my business and was a young, inexperienced, female. At 20 I wondered whether the more experienced, often male members would treat me any differently. DBC is one place where I have never felt different to be young or female. I have been respected and treated as an equal, my opinion has been valued and that's one of the things I love about DBC.
Rebecca McGarvie, Meltingpot Arts
After the great January event I’m pleased to say I’ve sent my membership form off to you and also the attendance form for the February event. The only thing I haven’t sent yet is the diary / directory form as I need to put a bit more thought in to it but wanted to get the membership application off to you ASAP.
Can I say I’m greatly impressed by Durham Business Club? In the short time I was networking I managed to gain 5 good contacts, have already had a meeting with one of them and have agreed a contract with them to do my design and printing.
Michael Gibbon, Gibbon Online
We really enjoyed working with you – and the group- I said to Andy on the way home, there was a real spirit of co-operation and mutual support amongst the delegates. In my short sessions with them – ie over coffee and lunch - there were some great contacts and helping of each other going on.
All lovely stuff which is hard to capture and to quantify but all very tangible and important… and to me what great clubs and networks are about! Keep up the good work!
Jill White, Andy Hanselman Consulting
First class networking opportunities and the chance to meet like-minded business people. Meetings are always interesting and informative and Christine is a brilliant organiser and 'spokesperson' for the club!
Marie Carter MC Communications
It's a very useful central point of reference - Christine is a veritable fount of useful knowledge (and dead enthusiastic!) Makes you feel part of a local community of like-minded people and businesses.
Chas Thomason, Dramatrain
Networking with a group of similar minded people is invaluable. The meeting night sessions are invariably educational as well as being enjoyable. Fringe events and activities eg School Magnates provide diversity of opportunity and the chance to contribute to the commercial and economic development of the area and people within it. And DBC is full of nice people - please take that as a serious comment as that's how it's meant.
Tom Dawson – St John Ambulance
I enjoy the relaxed 'non-vulture like' atmosphere that the club generates, I think business is more likely to happen when working in relationship with other businesses rather than simply scavenging meetings for the next job.
DBC fosters those relationships through its meeting style and it's other activities.
Paul Berry, photographer
DBC is a friendly, informal business organisation upon whom you can depend. Forward thinking, topical meetings and genuinely care about their members. I'm proud to be a member of DBC.
Alison Gittins, Young Enterprise