Successful Central Hawke’s Bay Business Connector Encourages Local Support and Networking

Central Hawke’s Bay’s inaugural Business Connector was marked as a huge success last week, seeing 80 local business owners and stakeholders gather at the Central Hawke’s Bay Municipal Theatre for an evening of information gathering and networking.

The event, hosted jointly by Central Hawke’s Bay District Council and Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, invited Central Hawke’s Bay’s business community to attend an information evening on Tuesday 25 August 2020, to help those in attendance to connect with support and advice on funding, training, wage subsidies, apprenticeships, online sales, marketing and wellness.

Presenters at the event included Shop Local CHB, Business Hawke’s Bay, Chamber of Commerce, Regional Business Partners, and the Ministry of Social Development.

“COVID-19 and the drought has hit our small and local business community hard,” says Alex Walker, Mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay.

“It was fantastic to see so many of our local business owners come together in one room at our first Business Connector – physically distanced of course! I’m incredily proud, and inspired by the drive and motivation of each and every one of these people during a time of such adversity.”

In April 2020 the Council adopted an Economic Recovery Action Plan in response to COVID-19 and the Drought, which identified an immediate need to support Central Hawke’s Bay businesses.

A direct output of this plan for the Council has been the ongoing development of the ‘Jobs in Central Hawke’s Bay’ programme, which works to connect employers with employees, remove barriers and provide ongoing pastoral care for both parties. 

Planning is underway for the inaugural business connector to become an on-going programme of ‘business after five’ events, connecting local business owners with ideas and support.

Further information for businesses can be found at https://www.chbdc.govt.nz/jobs-in-central-hawkes-bay

1 September 2020

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