Last Wednesday evening, the NSW Far West Small Business Association voted to merge with the Broken Hill Centre for Community.
Outgoing Association Secretary, Jack Dickson, heralded the merger as a significant milestone for the Association.
“It’s been part of our strategic focus to strengthen ties with other local and regional organisations, and so when the idea of a merger was discussed, the obvious choice was to merge with the Community Centre and vest our progress and achievements with them.”
Outgoing Association President, Dylan Stone, said the merger ensured the Association’s strong work continued into the next financial year and beyond.
“The work we have undertaken, and the goals we have achieved over the last three years, will continue under the Community Centre’s banner.”
Mr Stone said that while the Community Centre will play a significant role in supporting the Association’s members into the future, “the Small Business Association has also arranged for Erica Haskard from Biz HQ to play a supporting role for members where required into the future, and Business Far West will play a supporting role with respect to holding networking events and playing an advocacy role into the future as well.”
Ms Haskard said that she was “excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the Community Centre and (to) bring the benefits of BizHQ and the Business Connect program to the marketeers in the coming months.”
Mr Dickson noted that while he would have loved to see the Association continue in its current form, “the truth is that our goals and objectives are so similar to the Community Centre, that it just made sense to merge with them to avoid duplication as we developed programs to assist marketeer members to establish their own businesses; they are the local business leaders of tomorrow.
“We also have an exceptionally talented board in the Association, and for those who had intended to remain in the Small Business Association when some of our board members retire at the end of the month, it means they can now join the Community Centre and apply their dedication and expertise there,” Mr Dickson added.
John Harris, President of the Broken Hill Centre for Community said, “NSW Far West Small Business Association has done well to build membership, facilitate services and provide benefits for their members over the last few years. There is an obvious synergy between one important aspect of Broken Hill Community Inc and the NSW Far West Small Business Association. We both have a significant number of small/micro business members.
“While the business support for business members will continue through Erica Haskard from Biz HQ, the markets will provide an almost monthly opportunity for all business members to offer their products / services to the community. I look forward to a very constructive and profitable relationship with all involved going forward. ”
A celebratory dinner, which will include a special handover from the Small Business Association to the Community Centre, will be held on Thursday, 29th June 2023. Those who are interested in attending this dinner are asked to call the Small Business Association on 0419 046 256, the dinner is open to all members of the community.
