Leamington and Stratford Business Forum Big Breakfast

by
Clare Sawdon High Sheriff of Warwickshire at the Leamington Business Forum and Stratford Business Forum Big Breakfast 12 April 2019
With no green tights or burly henchmen in evidence, Clare Sawdon, High Sheriff of Warwickshire addresses the Leamington Business Forum and Stratford Business Forum Big Breakfast 12 April 2019.

You might think that a 7am meeting of yet-to-be-caffeinated business people would be sluggish and dull.

Think again.

Jonathan Smith has created a network of interesting and interested, energetic and eager business folk from an incredibly diverse range of industries and business sizes.

Martin Phillis from Definition Media and Howard Karloff from Colour; Noun by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
Martin Phillis from film company Definition Media spots me pointing my lens towards him and Howard Karloff, energetic speaker from Colour; Noun. Martin’s on the ball despite only being half way through his first coffee of the day.

Location, Location, Location

This meeting was held at the recently refurbished Leamington Pump Rooms, a fabulous hall and conservatory. It’s next to the River Leam and the Pump Room & Jephson Gardens. It’s a great location, and the rooms are stunning.

Stuart Smith of KPMG by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
Stuart Smith of KPMG deep in animated conversation in the breakfast queue. We all had a sizeable bun filled with meaty or veggie English breakfast ingredients – fabulous nosh to start the day. The Pump Room Cafe did a great job serving so many people efficiently and warmly, as they always do.
Danish pastries in the Leamington Pump Rooms Cafe by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
Naughty pastries also available. I’m writing this the morning after, at breakfast time, and I really want one of these now! I wish they delivered to Stratford upon Avon.

First, Chat and Breakfast

After a good session of general chat, supping of teas, coffees and orange juices, we all sashayed into the fabulous Leamington Pump Rooms hall. It’s rather grand, with chandeliers, a gallery at each end and lovely, bright French doors & big windows along one side. Classical statues and marbled and gilded plaster columns give the room a gentle grandeur.

The Leamington Pump Rooms by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
See, told you!

We had time for some chat at our tables. I had a good old catch up with Carole Sleight from Art in the Park and HB&O’s Mark Ashfield. I remember laughing a lot while listening to Carole’s stories, as I was trying not to dribble too much tomato and mushroom sauce from my breakfast bun into my beard.

Brief and Engaging Talks

We then had a series of engaging and often humourous talks from Michael Mogan about Coventry City of Culture, Clare Sawdon on her role as High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Christina Boxer about the Commonwealth Games, Carole Longden about the Garden of Wellbeing at Stratford Hospital and Michael Spillane from Barnardo’s.

Michael Mogan from Coventry City of Culture by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
Michael Mogan gave a very entertaining talk about Coventry’s City of Culture plans. He should be a stand up comedian.
Clare Sawdon High Sheriff of Warwickshire
Clare Sawdon explained about her role of the High Sheriff of Warwickshire. She’s been a magistrate for many years and she’s using her role as High Sheriff to highlight the problems of domestic abuse.
Carole Longden from Event Cow by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
Carole Longden from Event Cow told us to put space in our diaries to help the Stratford Hospital build a new garden of wellbeing.
Michale Spillane from Barnardo's by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
Michael Spillane from Barnado’s appealing for reliable and caring volunteers to help mentor vulnerable young people.
Jonathan Smith from the Business Forums Stratford Business Forum Leamington Business Forum by Charlie Budd The Tall Photographer
Last but not least, the host with the most, the ever sparkling Jonathan Smith from the Business Forums, the man responsible for bringing all these people together.

You can find out about future events by Stratford Business Forum here, and Leamington Business Forum here.

If you come to an event and see a tall, beardy fellow waving a camera around, in between cups of coffee, that’ll probably be me.

If you’d like me to photograph or film your event, or do photography or videography for your business, drop me a line here.

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