Weds 4th September 2024
Continuing the theme of reflections, long-term WBG member Graham Card offered his thoughts on his membership of Wealden Business Group 25 years after he first joined.
Graham has always been a networker, and prior to the formation of WBG he frequented local Chamber of Commerce events in addition to being one of the early UK attendees of BNI meetings. WBG was started in spring 1999, and Graham was invited to attend that September, initiating a membership that has continued unbroken to this day.
As is the purpose of networking groups, Graham has both received and given business leads. But he has also availed of the services of other members too. His house windows were replaced by Perry Barton about 11 years ago, and he has sought legal advice from Justin Nelson a number of times over the years. But one particular instance stands out, where advice from a member saved Graham’s family from a huge outlay to carry out unnecessary repairs to a roof. That alone more than justifies 25 years worth of membership fees!
Graham chaired the group twice, in ’04-’05 and again in ’18-’19, handing over to Monica Janssens just as Covid impacted face to face interactions worldwide. He also spent a number of years booking speakers for the group. He has particularly enjoyed some of the group trips, including
- Wine tasting in France
- Lille
- Bruges
- Ypres, and
- Barcelona (or “bar-th-lona”)
Graham has been a constant presence through almost all of WBG’s history, and we look forward to him continuing to be so for many years to come.
