Chasebassadors launch event hailed a success

A grassroots business community founded by local entrepreneur Neil Betts held its first event last week, bringing together 50 Cannock Chase business owners for a morning of professional development and networking.

Neil Betts, founder of Go True North and vice president of Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce, set up Chasebassadors in July with the aim of bringing local firms together.

The event, named as Founded on the Chase, took place at Fallow Forest Cafe & Venue in Cannock.

Fifty-seven delegates attended the session led by speaking coach Dave James on confident public speaking for business owners, before the morning closed with open networking. The group has a membership of 168.

Neil Betts said: "When I set this up, I knew the idea was good. I wasn't sure I could pull it off.

"Founded on the Chase was the answer. A room full of people who'd never met, backing something that didn't exist ten weeks before. That's not something I did on my own. That's a community that wanted to exist, finally having somewhere to."

Betts, who also runs a free business startup service for Staffordshire County Council said the growth reflects a wider appetite among small business owners for community-led networking rooted in a specific place, rather than generic online groups.

Chasebassadors is free to join and open to any business owner based in or around Cannock Chase. Further events are planned over the coming months.