Dear IW Chamber member,
We are living in unprecedented times. The situation is evolving every day and many Island businesses will be bracing themselves for difficult situations and possibly difficult choices.
At the IW Chamber we want to support you as best as we can. In many ways your membership has probably never been so vital or so valuable.
As a member of the IW Chamber you have unlimited access to five business advice lines, over 750 free-to-use business documents plus £1m of excess-free insurance. This premium service is included in your membership fee because of the investment made by the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce. Up to now you may have viewed your membership as a “quiet insurance policy”. This could well be the time that your membership can work hard for you.
As a business owner myself I personally spent much of the weekend using the benefits of my Chamber membership. I called the Quest Advice Line and they were excellent at providing guidance and answers to my questions. They were also able to get me logged into all the legal and HR documents available online. If you need help with accessing your log-in details, please contact the Chamber.
I spoke last night with the Island’s MP Bob Seely and we will continue to talk on a daily basis. He wants to take onboard the concerns of Island businesses and I have shared with him the feedback that we have received so far, in particular the need for clarity around access to government support packages for businesses, as well as the impact on the hospitality and tourism sectors regarding advice about “avoiding” pubs and restaurants. Bob and I are keen to represent the wide range of views and concerns of Island businesses – any questions you share with me will be shared with him too.
The situation is developing quickly and it’s important to stay on top of the latest advice. The British Chambers of Commerce is compiling information to minimise impact on local communities and support the UK government’s strategy. You can find the latest updates from the BCC and other organisations by clicking here:
Like every other business, the IW Chamber is responding in real-time to an evolving situation. The health of our members and our staff is paramount and our own events may well be subject to changes and rescheduling. We will keep you updated via e-updates and our social media. Please “follow” us, and sign up for email updates if you aren’t already on our list.
Steven Holbrook
Chief Executive
