CHAIRS’ REPORT

February/March 2022

We hope this finds you well and enjoying the late summer weather, with autumn just around the corner.

Times have been turbulent in our region, and our thoughts go to the many people, and businesses, who have been negatively impacted by the violent protest events in Wellington recently. Now is the time for support and collaboration as we navigate life with Omicron in the community.

Many people are continuing to move towards being proactive and effective in an online capacity as remote working options look set to remain, and in fact become even more necessary in our new normal. Here at the Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce we are promoting positivity in this new approach, and embracing the chance to upskill and learn at every opportunity.

Chamber and Kāpitii Coast District Council are working together to offer “Coming to your Front Room” - a series of webinars based on dealing with Omicron and being resilient as we all move forward into 2022.

The first is a Q&A session where local businesses can share how they are dealing with the Covid-19 Red Traffic Light setting system. The sessions will be held at lunchtimes, with participating businesses encouraged to take the opportunity to support local hospitality by getting lunch from a cafe and heading into the webinar from there, or equally from home.

Also coming up is the Work Ready Kāpiti #SuperMeet event. For anyone between the ages of 15 to 24 looking for support to become work ready, this speed-dating style event offers you a great opportunity to connect with a number of local businesses from a variety of industries to find your pathway into future

training or employment.

Finally, of course, March is the month in which International Women’s Day is celebrated. The 2022 Womanhood Journal, which shares a collection of female business stories from across the Kāpiti and Horowhenua region, is being released to mark this special day, on March 8th. Compiled by Anna Colville-Smith from ACS Marketing and her team of amazing business women from Kāpiti and Horowhenua, it’s a beautiful publication that tells the unique and diverse stories of women in business across our region, with all proceeds to be donated to the Kāpiti Women’s Centre and Horowhenua Women’s Refuge.

To find out more about all Chamber happenings and events, our website is a great source of information, as well as offering a wealth of relevant resources. Head online to find out more about joining the

Kāpiti Coast Chamber of Commerce and the exclusive member benefits on offer, as well as checking out our key partners, who are vital in supporting us to do the work we do.

We look forward to catching up with everyone soon.

Monique Leith and Heather Hutchings, CoChairs.