County Wexford Chamber set to release three-year strategic plan
County Wexford Chamber is finalising a three-year strategic plan, following a busy and challenging three years.
The chamber – which represents 320 plus businesses in the Gorey, Wexford and New Ross areas – has seen its membership grow by 10 per cent over the past year.
Speaking at a meeting in New Ross with the municipal council there, the chamber’s acting CEO Emma Dunphy said: “Looking back on a year which saw a gradual return to the new normality, County Wexford Chamber describes 2022 as a year that enabled us to reconnect in person with its 320+ members, a year of visible reinvigoration in all sectors of its membership and a year in which it expanded its stakeholder reach to initiate new opportunities for its members and for the betterment of County Wexford and the region.”
It was also a year in which the Chamber board took a deep dive into the organisation to formulate a new strategic plan 2023-2025, which will be launched in early March.
She said the County Wexford Chamber Shop Local Vouchers reached over €1.5m in sales since.
“This is our way of ensuring that local businesses are supported and our way of encouraging people to support local and shop local. This helps to support local jobs and the livelihoods of many in County Wexford.”
New Ross Municipal District manager Alan Fitzhenry said the voucher scheme is great in that it keeps the spend within the county, whereas One For All cards can be used anywhere.
Ms Dunphy said in April, over 1,000 people attended the chamber’s Wexford Job Fest on Wexford Quay. “We connected leading businesses, industries, and service providers with the very best working talent this country has to offer. In fact, County Wexford Chamber’s Jobs Fest was such a success it was later shortlisted for the “Most Innovative Project” in the 2022 Chambers Ireland Awards.”
In May, 500 people attended the first ever County Wexford Business awards.
“Again, this was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the innovation and brilliance of businesses across County Wexford.
“On behalf of the business community, we’ve met Government ministers, Ambassadors, along with engagement at a European level on the needs of local businesses and to find out more on how the EU policy agenda is pushing to meet these needs. Part of the schedule included meeting with Irish MEPs in the European Parliament to discuss the European policy agenda and the issues most pressing to businesses, including energy, trade, decarbonisation, and skills.”
She said the chamber has engaged with SETU. “This is our new university which will be a game changer in terms of skills and career development in the county.
A key function of County Wexford Chamber is to be the voice of and lobbyist for its membership, seeking resolution on issues that impact business at an operational or infrastructural level.
“The increasing focus on skills’ development now essential for Chamber member companies was evident in the growth and increased engagement with our Skillnet especially over the last 12 months, which have been key drivers in County Wexford Chamber Skillnet securing increased funds for the next cycle 2023-25. We will also be able to support those who find themselves unemployed to upskill, which will assist them greatly in seeking new employment opportunities in the region. In 2022 County Wexford Chamber Skillnet trained 878 people, 5264 training days delivered and 99 training programmes.”
The chamber also held various informative briefings and networking events across the county throughout the year, along with publishing three editions of its ‘Inside Wexford Business Magazine’, with the fourth edition coming out next month.