Lunch at Lumley: an exciting new networking event for North East businesses
In 2020, our director Andrew Auton and group sales executive David Thompson joined forces with recruitment agency Heels & Brogues Group and Gordon Brown Law, forming a regional networking group to keep businesses virtually connected and supported throughout lockdown. Fast forward to October 2021 and the North East Network has grown exponentially, the last Friday of the month highlighting the network’s biggest face-to-face event to date – Lunch At Lumley.
Since the beginning, the ethos behind North East Network has been to meet, connect, and create meaningful relationships with North East businesses within a relaxed and friendly environment. With a commitment to bridging the gap between North East business owners, we prioritise creating events that are intimate, memorable and non-bureaucratic. These sentiments couldn’t have been more true at Lunch At Lumley, where almost a hundred businesses from across the region assembled to build meaningful, in-person connections and most importantly, to have fun together.
Decked out with spooktacular Halloween décor, Lumley Castle boasted an atmospheric and grandiose venue for what was, for many businesses, their first face-to-face networking event in over a year. Kicking off the afternoon with drinks and a catch-up, it was a surreal and heart-warming experience to see start-ups, freelancers and long-standing local businesses connecting in the same room rather than from behind a computer screen.
Besides the decadent lunch at a luxury hotel, the event also gave attendees the opportunity to win more than just a valuable new business relationship with a range of amazing prizes up for grabs, including:
- 12 months worth of marketing within Kingfisher Visitor Guides’ popular hardbacks books and across their website.
- BMW gave guests the chance to win free weekend hire of the new BMW ix3.
- The hosts, Lumley Castle Hotel, gifted an overnight stay in one of the stylish superior rooms, complete with breakfast, to a lucky attendee.
There was also a special cash prize draw, whereby one lucky business representative won 50% of the pot and the other half was donated to Red Sky Foundation and St. Oswald’s Hospice, two North East charities that tirelessly provide a caring, compassionate and indispensable service to adults and babies living with complex or incurable conditions across the region.
We had the pleasure of hosting a wonderful guest speaker, Cheryl Lee – co-founder of the successful coaching services company, ‘Now Is Your Time’ and co-author of the Amazon Bestseller, ‘Become The Real You‘, who presented some home truths and much needed motivation to our large party of business leaders.
Hours after bidding fond farewells and wishing each and every fellow business well, LinkedIn was buzzing with activity and attendees consolidating new found friendships that had been forged at Lumley. With such a positive response to what was North East Network’s biggest event to date, we can guarantee that this isn’t the last Lunch At Lumley.
Ready to get the networking party started? Join us in March for the second edition of Lunch At Lumley.
Book your ticket here.