Lithgow's business region gets a new program of events and a new brand

They're launching a new brand identity to kick-start the Business Revival Program of events, funded by the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER).

A new regional identity called Seven Valleys will give the Chamber's $503,000 funded program of events a new lease of life.

The brand was coined by, and has been used by Lithgow City Council's Tourism Committee, and the Chamber has been given the go ahead by Council to run with the name which the Chamber intends to roll out to all its business members in the months and years to come.

Chamber intends to use the name as a way of bringing together the many villages and sub-regions within the Lithgow LGA. Seven Valleys refers to the seven valleys positioned in the Lithgow region being - Capertee, Wolgan, Kanimbla, Lithgow, Megalong, Harley and Tarana, but the Chamber has created a new tagline specifically to promote the Business Revival Program of events.

The Chamber will work with Council to assist in facilitating this shift of the region's identity. The Business Revival Program aims at helping Lithgow region achieve 150 new jobs and $65 million of additional turnover within the next five years. It also plans to attract at least five new businesses to the region, including two start-up ventures.

With the BLER funding, to be used over twenty-one month period, the Chamber is now able to host a series of high-profile events to promote local businesses, secure new investment in the region, promote start ups and help create jobs.

While the overall Business Revival Program is over a three-five year period, funding was received to employ an Events and Communications Coordinator to undertake a program of events over a two year period.

COVID lockdowns have pushed the Program back and it will now be undertaken over a 21 month period from October 2021 to the end of June 2023, with events starting in early 2022. The Chamber believes the funding was integral for the region to kick-start the Seven Valleys Business Revival Program of events.

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Chamber President and Lithgow City Council candidate Peter Pilbeam said the funding was important for the region and for the Chamber as they considered it an area in transition.

"The heritage of the Lithgow region has been as an industrial and coal producing area, but the region needs to develop new business opportunities and enterprises," he said.

The Lithgow District Chamber of Commerce started in 2015 as a call to action by local business leaders to mitigate the impending closure of the mining industry in the region that currently employs approximately 800 Lithgow residents.

It's looking to foster growth in the areas of agribusiness, renewable energy, health, advanced manufacturing, cultural industries and other business start ups. It's also planning to foster alliances with the broader regions of Western Sydney including the Blue Mountains and the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) as well as the Central West. Importantly the Chamber wants to work closely with Lithgow City Council.

Up until now there hasn't been a dedicated business events and industry promotional program across the Lithgow region, yet local businesses are urgently in need of promotional support, advocacy and transitional development.

The Chamber holds a series of business-to-business networking functions and these types of functions will continue but with a full-time staff member on the team for the first time, together with financial funding, the Seven Valleys Business Revival Program will scale-up and expand on existing Chamber functions.

The Seven Valleys Business Revival program of events will include a brand awareness campaign that will start this month and the first public event will be held in early 2022.

The run down of coming events is -

The Chamber of Commerce is calling on all Seven Valleys residents who have the seed of a new idea to come and listen to inspirational speakers who will talk about facilities and resources that are available to support their budding business idea and turn it into a new thriving business enterprise.

Speakers are from Regional Development Australia, StartupAUS, Launch Pad initiative WSU, venture capitalists and WSU Launch pad recipients.

If you're a small to medium sized business come to the event to hear how your businesses can tender for work with large local companies.

A gala black tie event showcasing the best that Lithgow region has on offer. There'll be several award categories sponsored by local businesses. Award categories will be announced in mid 2022.

FEATURING INVESTOR PROMOTION, MAY 2023

Over 100 exhibitors featuring local wares, local producers, new technologies and advanced products and services, attracting 1500 business attendees from Sydney and other regions of the state.

The Investor Promotion will give the region the opportunity to showcase its wares to potential investors.

Mr Pilbeam said they want as many local businesses and the region's business associations such as Hartley and Portland as well as the community at large to be made aware of the Business Revival Program and engage with it.

"The Program has been specifically created for businesses in the region and for people who are planning to start new businesses. We want the Seven Valleys region to build capacity, to build on its heritage and to develop a unique business community," he said.

Mr Pilbeam is envisaging that the Chamber's currently funded Seven Valleys Business Revival program of events will generate further business as well as corporate and government support to ensure that the program continues for the full five year period and beyond.

People interested in joining the Chamber as members should visit the website Lithgow.org.au

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