One of Swindon’s longest-established networking groups celebrates its 10th anniversary tomorrow with the visit of the organisation’s leading UK figure.
Co-national director of BNI in the UK and Ireland Charlie Lawson will speak to the BNI Read chapter to help celebrate its anniversary and also mark it generating business worth £250,000 for its members – an amount that has put it in the top 30 UK chapters.
BNI, a business and professional networking organisation whose primary purpose is to exchange quality business referrals, is the most successful organisation of its type in the world today with more than 3,200 chapters in the UK and 24 other countries worldwide. 
Last year, members of BNI passed on more than 3m referrals which generated business worth more than £850m for its members.
Charlie Lawson, a word-of-mouth marketing expert, joined BNI in 2004 and took over the UK and Ireland operation with fellow co-national director Tim Cook in 2009.
BNI Read chapter director Matt Fallon said: “It is a huge honour that Charlie Lawson is coming to visit us and we are very excited to hear what he has to talk about.”
BNI Read, which meets at the Hotel Campanile Swindon, has 28 members from high-achieving and diverse businesses, among them:
- Peter Jones, HR Dept, HR and employment law advice
- Mark Puffett, Mll Print & Digital
- Francis George, Francis George Solicitors
- Sara Tye, redheadPR, Dynamic Public Relations Consultancy
- Nick Belson, Origin Design, Graphic Designer
- Lee Flanagan, Centraheat, Heating, Plumbing and Renewable Energy
- Darren Crannis, CTS Electrical Services
- Phil Rand, Rand Planning Consultancy, Building Design & Planning Specialists
- Jackie Kerr, Jackie Kerr Recruitment
- Matt Fallon, Fallon Property Management
- Michelle Amor, PBA Accountants LLP, Proactive Business Advice
- Mike Williams, The Rug Shack, supplying and fitting carpets, vinyls, Flotex, matting, door mats, stair runners, remnants and rugs
- Martin Brett, Emerald Windows and Doors, A Window and Door Company
- Donna Redshaw, Diamond PA Services, Virtual PA
- Chris Williams, Brunel Office Supplies Specialist
- Gordon K Mitchell, Asset Guardian Company Ltd, Will Writing & Probate Services
- Peter Frankum, Healthcare Solutions
- David Pratt, Talk Fusion, Affordable simple to use video products
- Stuart Miles, Smiles Centre, Dentistry
- Ian Gill, David M Coe Financial Planning Ltd, St. James Place Wealth Management
- David Foster, Honeystone, Digital Marketing
- Greg Nicol, System 4Results™, Business Growth Specialist
- Mick Haren, Sandymount Property Services Ltd
