Letterkenny Chamber has met a membership milestone, reaching a total of 300 members – and counting, in September 2023.
The Chamber, founded in 1965, now represents 300 businesses and over 8000 employees.
Donegal’s premier business membership organisation includes some of the largest employers in Letterkenny, small to medium sized businesses, semi-state bodies, financial institutions, retailers, professional services and multi-nationals – across the town, county and Northwest City region.
Letterkenny Chamber are Donegal’s only full-time Chamber, affiliated to Chambers Ireland (Chambers Ireland have 40 member Chambers across the island of Ireland) – representing the interests of the business community through lobbying, while promoting economic development in the region.
Letterkenny Chamber President, Fionnuala Rabbitt said of the achievement; “Letterkenny Chamber has always retained a strong core membership in the area, with the help of the Chamber staff, the Chamber Council, past presidents – and particularly the ‘Membership, Research and Development’ Sub Committee, we have developed a strategic plan to grow the membership in recent years. This strategy was complemented by the strong support the Chamber has historically offered in terms of leadership, communication and advice to the business community – membership and beyond – which was specifically pertinent throughout the challenging Covid19 lockdown periods.”
Fionnuala continues; “Growth of the membership helps us to provide continued, focused lobbying locally and nationally – our CEO, Toni Forrester makes regular lobbying submissions on behalf of the business community. It helps us to facilitate bigger networking opportunities and to create the best environment possible for local and regional business to thrive. The growth plan for Letterkenny Chamber membership covers a wide range of industry sectors and organisation sizes, from sole-traders right up to the multi-nationals – all are welcome, as the larger the collective voice, the better. Chamber membership is open to any business, organisation or self-employed individual that has an interest in doing business in the North West.”
One activity that has helped progress this strategy was the appointment of a full-time Business Development Executive in September 2022 – Marie Shields. Marie joined the Letterkenny Chamber team one year ago, Marie is tasked with recruiting new members and is responsible for member engagement, as well as looking after events and marketing activity focused on membership, on behalf of the Chamber. Marie, from Glen, Carrigart – previously ran her own marketing consultancy working with local and national companies, stakeholder groups and educational institutions in the area of digital marketing and strategic communications.
63 new members were acquired in the last year which include companies and employers of all sizes – leaders in their respective sectors for example; Boyle Construction, ElectroRoute, Circet, Efficient Renewables and Donegal Bees; all of which employ over 50 people per company, to collaborators such as Failte Ireland in Donegal, Ulster University and Tech North West Skillnet – as well as new businesses to the locality such as Letterkenny Medics. The Chamber hope to grow and expand on this, welcoming businesses to become part of the Letterkenny Chamber community.
Letterkenny Chambers’ events calendar has increased in the last year, the Chamber host 2-3 events per month, which helps provide business networking and peer-knowledge sharing. The events are open to everyone, with subsidisations for members. The next event is the Into the Northwest – Entrepreneurial Edit with Brody Sweeney, Founder of Camile Thai which is happening on Thursday Sept 28th.
Visit Letterkenny Chamber social media and website for more information on events, and for membership enquiries contact marie@letterkennychamber.com
More info: letterkennychamber.com
