Shropshire Chamber celebrates its diamond jubilee in style

The evening, which included a barbecue and the cutting of an official celebratory cake, was held at Hencote vineyard on the outskirts of Shrewsbury.

President Piran Littleton spoke of his pride at the work done by the chamber’s team – what it does now, what it’s looking to do for the next 60 years, and the effect that it has already had on businesses across Shropshire.

“The chamber has helped businesses to become happier, healthier, wealthier, and wiser,” he said.

Shropshire Chamber was originally founded in 1962 in Dawley, to help connect businesses on the back of plans to create a ‘new town’ called Telford.

In 1969 it was rebranded as Telford Chamber of Commerce, before being changed to Shropshire Chamber to reflect its growing countywide membership.

Current chief executive Richard Sheehan, who has been part of the team for the past 15 years, said the team was incredibly proud to have been providing support for the Shropshire business community across six decades of growth and evolution.

“Shropshire is such a fantastic place to do business; full of ambition, drive, enthusiasm and innovation," he said.

“We all know that the economy is going to be in for a bumpy ride over the coming months, and it is at times like these that businesses can truly realise the strength and security of being part of a collective.

“Throughout the past 60 years, the chamber’s mission has not changed – we want to be seen as the voice of Shropshire business and the premier sounding-board for engagement with companies of all sizes, across all sectors.

“We represent the interests of Shropshire businesses, enabling them to collaborate, create valuable connections and deliver a comprehensive range of business services to help our members to prosper.”