Scone Chamber News – June 2022

Chamber News
June 16, 2022

Welcome to the June edition of the Scone Chamber Newsletter. Lots has happened since we last spoke with the Federal election seeing a new Government coming into power, interest rate rises and inflation at record highs. The Chamber has been busy with a breakfast to ‘Talk Money’ in an aim to support those concerned about the economic outlook for Australia and what that means for their business. We are also finished up our NEIGH-bour Art competition and have been busy getting new technology for our Business Hub.

WAGE RISE PUTS PRESSURE ON BUSINESSES

The decision of the Fair Work Commission to raise the National Minimum Wage by 5.2% and modern award minimum wage rates by 4.6% will put pressure on small businesses at a time when the cost of doing business is already rising.

Business NSW has put out an eloquent article on this subject and also has an award wages support service called Modern Awards. Both are well worth taking a look at.

Business Connect

Business Connect is a government-funded program that supports NSW small businesses and people with personalised advice, events and online resources. The Chamber often refers those who want to start a business or have an established business needing additional personalised business support to the Business Connect program and continues to find this to be an invaluable resource to many. You can learn more about the program here.

June Breakfast

Thank you to everyone who attended the Chamber’s June breakfast this week. While it was certainly a morning with lower than average temperatures, it was great to still see so many of you come along for a chat and a listen.

Jane Ryan from Fox Wealth Advisory,  gave us all some great insight into the main factors affecting inflation, what inflation actually means for individuals and businesses, looking good on paper as well as the importance of tax planning, among other things. Thank you, Jane, for your time. You certainly are a pillar of knowledge and expertise when it comes to financial planning and strategy. Breakfast was delicious and the room cosy as always, thanks to our lovely hosts at The Cottage. Thanks also to our sponsors Local Buying Foundation.

We hope everyone enjoyed themselves. We look forward to seeing you all again soon.

NEIGH-Bour Art Completed for 2022

The Chamber once again partnered with Scone Horse Festival to run the NEIGHbour Art Competition for 2022.

Scone Horse Festival’s NEIGHbour-Art Competition is a time where the local business and school community come together to celebrate Scone’s rich horse heritage and the Horse Festival by decorating wooden horse cut-outs and displaying them proudly across Scone.

This year we sold 98 horses and had 27 entries, some of which included multiple horses (49 horses entered all up) – many businesses also put up their horses from last year. Although these are not entered into the current year’s competition it was still wonderful to see everyone’s horses out again.

Congratulations again to the winners.

If you search the hashtag #neighbourart2022 on Facebook or Instagram you will be able to see all of this year’s wonderful entries.

See full results here.

Scone Chamber Business Hub

Did you know the Scone Chamber has a shared workspace at our Business Hub right here in Scone? We have 2 hot desks for hire any time of the week as well as a board table which can be booked when available. These options could work if you just want to get out of your home office for a day, you or a colleague is passing through and need a desk or even if you need somewhere private for a meeting.

Host Desk Prices:

Chamber Members – $10 per half-day OR $15 per full day

Non-Chamber-Members – $15 per half-day OR $20 per full day

Includes:

Desk and Chair

Wifi Access

Power

Printer Access (additional cost per sheet)

Basic lunchroom facilities

Business Hub Technology

The Chamber has also recently purchased a new printer for use by staff and hot-desk bookings, along with a new projector and projector screen for those requiring them for presentations etc. Please get in touch if you would like to hire any of these items.

Send Sarah English an email for more info: bdo@sconechamber.com.au

You’re Invited to the Upper Hunter HMA Launch Event

Hunter Manufacturing Awards recognise and would like to promote the Upper Hunter’s vibrant and diverse manufacturing industry by holding an afternoon networking event at Kawal Rock Distillery on Wednesday 6th July at 3:00pm.

In conjunction with Hedweld, we invite all local manufacturers and industry to attend as they give an introduction to HMA, an overview of this years awards, while also showcasing the stories of some unique manufacturers in the Upper Hunter Region.

This is an event not to miss – expect the unexpected!

Enjoy live music, canapes and drinks as you watch the sun go down on our beautiful Upper Hunter region.

Be there to go into the draw for the lucky door prize!

Date: Wednesday 6th July
Time: 3:00pm to 5:30pm
Address: Kawal Rock Distillery
260 Milbrodale Road, Fordwich
Dress Code: Smart Casual
This event is FREE to attend, but please register to attend.

If you’re keen to hear the stories of various local Upper Hunter manufacturers then this event is for you.

REGISTER

Marketing Mentoring

In collaboration with LivMedia our 1on1 Marketing Mentoring program will be launching very soon. We will be in touch with businesses who put in their EOIs next week and start scheduling sessions that will occur in the coming months. The program will commence with a short 1-hour group workshop to welcome everyone to the program and set the scene on what to expect. Businesses chosen to take part will then have 3 hours of mentoring with our partner LivMedia. The first hour will be a review session where goals and objectives will be outlined and then the next 2 hours will be scheduled for hands-on mentoring in the areas of need identified in the initial session. We are very excited to get this started and thank our funding bodies Local Buying Foundation and BHP for their support in this wonderful initiative.

Welcoming our Newest Board Member

We would like to welcome our newest board member, Alice Messara. We are very grateful to have recruited Alice to the team. We feel Alice will bring some wonderful local experience and knowledge to the table and look forward to working with her as the Chamber continues to grow and thrive.

 

About Alice

Sydney-born Alice grew up as a horse-mad child living in Potts Point with few opportunities to pursue her love of horses, except on trips to the country when she could be found in a paddock, borrowing horses and begging to ride. Her parents often said, “If we ignore this, it will go away”, but it didn’t, and Alice’s lifelong love of horses has been the foundation of her career since 2002.

After graduating from Sydney University with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History & Theory, Alice added a Business Diploma (Marketing), while finally fulfilling her dream of learning to ride at Centennial Park.

Offered a role with a recruitment agency, she decided that sitting in an office with no horses in sight was not for her, instead, taking a job with trainer John Morish. One Sunday on a cold, dark morning at Randwick Racecourse, Alice was thrown on her first racehorse and she was hooked.

Alice rode trackwork at Randwick for the next couple of years, learning the intricacies of racing and its people, and riding notable horses such as Royal Ascot hero Takeover Target.  A short stint as an Assistant Producer at Sky Racing followed, before Alice went to work with bloodstock agent Vin Cox in a role that expanded her knowledge of pedigrees, the sale process and international racing & breeding.

In 2007 Alice moved to Scone to work as the Racing Manager for Paul Messara’s newly licensed public stable.  Friends since their school-days, Paul and Alice became quite a team, eventually marrying in 2010 and producing three sons in quick succession, Frank, John and Fred.

After a brief hiatus to learn the art of motherhood, Alice returned to the work saddle in 2013 when she took charge of Hospitality and Events for the family business, Arrowfield Stud. Arrowfield is one of Australia’s leading thoroughbred breeding operations and now, surrounded by horses, Paul and their children, Alice is in her forever home.

Alice brings to the Scone Chamber of Commerce a deep knowledge and solid experience of the Australian and global thoroughbred industry, strong connections with other equine industries, a creative flair for marketing & networking and a can-do attitude backed by abundant youthful energy.

You’re now up to date with all of our latest news and announcements.

Until next time…

 

Sarah English 

Business Development Officer

Scone Chamber of Commerce

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