In pictures: Shropshire Chamber's AGM

Chief Executive Ruth Ross said: “My vision for the coming year is clear – I want to deepen our connection with members, and ensure their needs remain at the heart of everything we do.

“We know that businesses thrive when they feel supported, valued, and empowered, and our commitment is to ‘love our members more’ by delivering even greater value, fostering meaningful engagement, and promoting their success across Shropshire and beyond.

“The next 12 months will see us strengthening our core services, investing in the right people and processes, and working tirelessly to stabilise and grow our membership base. 

“We will focus on being a partner you can rely on - not just to navigate challenges, but to seize opportunities. 

“By amplifying your voices and demonstrating the tangible impact of your contributions, we aim to inspire confidence and build a community where businesses of all sizes feel they belong.”

The Chamber racked up over 343,000 member engagements this year, with more than 1,600 attendees at its breakfast clubs – where numbers were 21 per cent up on the previous year. It has also held 93 training courses, supporting nearly 750 delegates.

Ruth and  Matt Small of Aico in Oswestry were re-elected at the meeting to serve further three-year terms as Chamber directors, and a special thanks was given to Chris Pallett of Bespoke Computing who has stepped down from the board after a six-year term.

The annual meeting included a raffle raised more than £1,000 for local children’s respite charity Hope House.