How West & North Yorkshire Chamber's membership model is changing to better help businesses: James Mason

This is why we, as a Chamber of Commerce, have a solemn duty to provide the highest level of support we can for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

We have been operating in this region for hundreds of years. We include the likes of Sir Titus Salt as former presidents. Our expertise and reach have stood the test of time and risen to every challenge thrown our way.

But, in common with all successful institutions, we cannot rest on our laurels and must always be changing to meet the needs of our members.

That is why we have enacted the largest shift in our membership model in a generation.

As of August 1, we are now offering all members significantly greater levels of flexibility and choice regarding the many services that the Chamber offers its members.

Having previously based its pricing around how many employees a member has, the Chamber will now only charge members for the services they wish to benefit from.

If a business needs support with legal, human resources, debt recovery or tax issues, we can help.

If a firm needs assistance with promotion and marketing, we can help. If an enterprise requires help with securing international trade on matters such as documentation or import/export advice, we can help.

We are also the market leaders when it comes to delivering trade missions and have successfully taking the Yorkshire brand to New York, UAE, Pakistan, Kenya and Sri Lanka in recent years with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and China in the planning.

And if an employer requires help with influence, be that with political entities or via the media, we can help.

Under our new Choice Based Membership model, members can now select from ‘bundles’ which neatly package our services into options which they can pick and choose from according their individual requirements.

The model is the only one of its kind in the UK’s Chamber network and has been years in the making. It has been well-received by new and existing members who have been triallists and is now live to anyone seeking to join the Chamber family.

Alongside this, West & North Yorkshire Chamber is expanding. Having served Bradford, Leeds and York and North Yorkshire, we are now taking on the entirety of West Yorkshire in a move that will see us become one of the biggest chambers of commerce in Britain.

For businesses in Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees, the message is simple; we are here to help you.

As the only officially accredited Chamber in West Yorkshire, members will be able to access the benefits of being part of the British Chamber of Commerce network, something that gives them a national voice and the ability to influence UK-wide policy formation.

Following the decision by British Chamber of Commerce to update its regional accreditation, West & North Yorkshire Chamber will now be supporting businesses in the area previously served by the Mid Yorkshire Chamber.

New members from the Wakefield, Huddersfield and Halifax regions will now be able to join the Chamber’s community of more than 2,500 members and gain access the Chamber’s first-class services.

Our team is very much looking forward to supporting and representing businesses of all sizes across all of West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

With a new membership model that offers a dynamic and flexible service to members, we are ready to take on any problem any business is facing.

While times are challenging for businesses, we remain focused on helping to ease the burden facing employers and do so out of pride and respect for this most glorious of regions.

James Mason is the chief executive of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce