In a year unlike any other, Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce worked incredibly hard to support business and bring our community together.

2020 saw the establishment of our #TogetherForBusiness campaign to connect, inform and help businesses during what continues to be one of the most challenging periods in our recent history.

The ethos behind #TogetherForBusiness, and the Chamber network is that collectively we are stronger, better informed and can provide support for those in need to help them navigate the crisis.

Never before has partnership working been so important - the support for the Chamber from a range of partners and stakeholders across the year has been vital to ensure we can deliver the help our businesses and communities have needed.

In particular, the ongoing support we receive from both West and East Dunbartonshire Councils and Business Gateway enables us to work together to meet important strategic objectives to benefit the economy.

It has also enabled us to align with business recovery programmes, respond to businesses’ other, shorter-term needs, and support recovery plans in our areas.

We are incredibly proud of what we achieved in 2020, welcoming more than 1,000 delegates to webinars, forums, surgeries and networking sessions.

We were a key partner in the (virtual) West Dunbartonshire Business Week 2020, and as well as keeping our network connected the events programme has provided invaluable expert advice on funding, HR and legal, marketing and promotion, health and wellbeing, and business and financial planning and resilience, to mention a few.

We have provided vital one-to-one support via experts who have offered their time free as part of #TogetherForBusiness.

We instigated and led the delivery of Loves Local campaigns in Alexandria, Dumbarton, Clydebank, Bearsden and Bishopbriggs.

This campaign has made a positive impact on businesses in and around the towns by encouraging local people to #thinklocalfirst.

Around 175 businesses are now being promoted across new websites backed up by social media and advertising campaigns.

Most recently, as part of the Chamber’s “Building Bridges” programme, we partnered with West Dunbartonshire Council and DYW West to help promote skills development and career opportunities as part of the West Dunbartonshire Careers Fortnight.

This culminated with around 40 delegates attending our business breakfast with keynote speaker, Tim Allan, president of Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

We look forward with optimism to continuing to make a positive impact on our economy and communities in 2021.