Before you get too excited, I am sadly not referring to the FIFA World Cup, valiant though England’s efforts have been in Qatar.
In the business world, your efforts are not always acknowledged. Hopefully, good customer service and excellent support are rewarded by your clients continuing to be loyal to you and recommending your company to their business contacts. But what about something a little more intangible, like networking?
Sevenoaks Chamber have a very elegant solution for this, known as the Tuvey Trophy! Mark Tuvey served as chair of the Chamber for many years and continues to play an active role in Chamber activities. To honour Mark’s contribution, the Tuvey Trophy was created.
When is the Tuvey Trophy awarded?
Once a year, the powers that be (presumably the board members of the Chamber aided and abetted by Mark Tuvey) decide who should be the recipient of the Tuvey Trophy. There are no nominations and no general voting – it’s very much a personal choice.
What does the Tuvey Trophy celebrate?
It’s designed to highlight the Chamber member who has made a significant contribution to the life of Sevenoaks Chamber. There is no set formula to judge excellent performance, but it is generally based on activity – attendance at events, networking with new members and visitors, presenting webinars and posting on the website and social media, to name but a few.
What is the Tuvey Trophy?
It turns out that there are several Tuvey Trophies – the award winner gets to keep their very own version, personally engraved, with no need to return it at the end of their tenure.
And the 2022 winner is ….
Our very own Suzanne Rice of Computer Troubleshooters! Now proud owner of a shiny cup.
And the bonus was I didn’t even have to give a speech!
I am honoured and surprised to be joining the select gang of Trophy recipients; it means a great deal to be acknowledged by your networking peers.
I believe the award recognized my approach to networking; if you become a member, you really should make the most of the experience, turning up, venturing out of your comfort zone to talk to different people and grasping every opportunity offered along the way.
You have to remember that the Chamber is unlike a referral marketing organization like BNI (which also has its merits, of course), where you are obliged to attend regularly and find referrals for your fellow members. Sevenoaks Chamber is more about making connections with the local business community, but each member can choose how much they wish to put in or take out of it – no three-line whips, no referrals, no 60-second presentations. The serendipity of who you may meet all adds to the fun, with First Wednesday regularly attracting more than 60 attendees.
Sevenoaks Chamber fills the networking void to the West of Kent, with meetings running regularly in Sevenoaks, Swanley, Westerham and coming soon to Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge. Visitors are always welcome, so I would definitely encourage you to give it a go!
As 2022 draws to a close, make it your New Year’s resolution to extend your business network. You are sure of a warm welcome at Sevenoaks Chamber.
