Following a summer break in August, the Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 business breakfast monthly meeting took place on Friday, 30th September.

Meetings have moved from the traditional Thursday date to the last day of the week, but will still take place at The Eastwood Suite at Portland College.

The change has been made because the college has increased the number of day students who visit and traffic in and out around 9am had increased, causing a few traffic problems.

It is hoped that the switch to a Friday meeting day will relieve the situation and allow business guests more time to network in the dedicated break out space directly following the meeting. This change has been welcomed by some members of the business support group, who had asked for increased networking opportunities.

The event was sponsored by Mansfield Building Society, which has been a member of Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 for well over 10 years. The local building society pledged greater support for the business group by becoming a patron at the beginning of September.

Richard Crisp, commercial development executive, gave a presentation about its savings packages as part of National Savings Week.

An added incentive for saving with Mansfield Building Society is that it is a major contributor to local projects and charitable causes, meaning that an investment with The Mansfield is an investment in the local community. Its charitable giving in 2021 delivered more than £70,000 to local groups in need of financial support.

The second speaker of the morning was Ben Bradley (pictured), MP for Mansfield, and leader of Nottinghamshire County Council. He spoke to guests about his work over the last 12 months and the recently-announced East Midlands Devolution deal, which will see decision making about key concerns move from central government to a newly-elected combined authority mayor in 2024.

As the process is still in development, this is an ideal time for business leaders to understand what this means for their local economy and identify any opportunities or concerns to get their voice heard.

The floor was open to questions and an additional date has been set for a more in-depth event about the change — 11th November, at West Notts College. To find out more email [email protected]

Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 is a not-for-profit organisation working with public and private sector organisations to create opportunities for growth and enrichment of local businesses and communities. It runs monthly events to help build business connections and stimulate conversations that contribute to economic prosperity for everyone.

Regular events include:

Women in Business — First Wednesday of the month, 12.30pm-2.30pm.
Pie and a Pint — Second Wednesday of the month, 5pm-7.30pm.
Business Breakfast — Last Friday of the month, 7.15am-9.30am.
Each event offers something different for everyone.

Ella McManus, 2020 director of operations, said: “We offer a three-month taster membership for local businesses that want to try us out before they commit to a yearly membership, and we have pay monthly options for small businesses that are looking to manage cashflow. You can find all the details on our website, www.mansfieldandashfield2020.com.”

The next Business Breakfast meeting will be held slightly earlier, on Friday, 14th October, to allow for the Nottinghamshire school holidays. To book a place at the meeting and to find out more about 2020, go to https://mansfieldandashfield2020.com