Newry Chamber Conference Highlights Vital Role of Small Business Sector

Over 150 delegates from across Northern Ireland gathered at the Canal Court Hotel in Newry on Thursday 13 November for this year's NI SME Business Conference & Expo, with the vital role of the smallest business sector to the local economy taking centre stage.

Hosted by Newry Chamber the annual free conference marked its 11th year and featured over 20 expert speakers covering key areas including sales and marketing, finance and the economy, and the challenges and opportunities facing SMEs. Many exhibitors were also in attendance to speak directly with businesses about available support.

Edwina Flynn, President of Newry Chamber, explained the thinking behind the event. "We regularly engage with our members to better understand what the current challenges they face and the opportunities they see. This conference is all about connecting our SME business community with each other and with organisations that can support them."

She added: "The Greater Newry Area is a vibrant business region. Despite the challenges of rising interest rates, stubbornly high inflation, skills and staff shortages, there is a still a huge ambition for growth. The conference allowed businesses to learn from each other and raise awareness of what supports are available to them."

Councillor Philip Campbell, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, one of the event's sponsors, said: "The NI SME Conference offered businesses across the district the opportunity to engage with a wide range of business support organisations under one roof and to listen to topical discussion on business practices. As we enter Enterprise Week, I encourage businesses to engage with Council's own business support programmes which were also promoted at this event, and I encourage local companies to contact the Council to find out more on the support available."

Roisin McAliskey, Development Manager at Small Businesses in NI, emphasised the sector's importance. "Small businesses are at the heart of every community in Northern Ireland. The recent NI SME Business Conference and Expo reinforced their importance and highlighted the support available to help them succeed." She added that FSB remains committed to ensuring no business feels it has to face its challenges alone.

Tracy Rice, Head of Business Engagement at Southern Regional College, highlighted the practical support available to local firms. "We work with many local firms and feedback from employers is that Apprenticeships and Higher-Level Apprenticeships are an excellent solution to recruitment and retention challenges," she said, noting there are lots of opportunities for employers to engage in funded upskilling activities as well as innovation and productivity supports.

Karen Maguire, Chair of Employee Ownership Ireland, praised the networking opportunities the conference provided. "The team at Employee Ownership Ireland had a great time participating in the conference and enjoyed a useful day of learning and networking with business leaders from across the region," she said. The conference presented a great opportunity to spread the word about employee ownership and demonstrate the benefits this model can bring to a regional economy like Newry.

The conference was supported by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, FSB Northern Ireland, Southern Regional College, Queen's University Belfast, Ulster University and Employee Ownership Ireland. Chamber President Fiona Flynn expressed gratitude to the sponsors, noting: "Without their support, we could not run this important conference."