Not sure what the Chamber is doing for you and your business? We thought it would be a good idea to provide a regular monthly update on the projects that the Chamber is pursuing for 2016. We have a regular working bee that has been working over the years to improve and maintain ‘Chamber Park’, on the corner of Wooli and Yamba Streets near Mitre 10. We have painted the toilet block, erected mosaic signage, installed colourful photo’s on the external walls of the toilet block and maintained the edible garden. In the next few weeks we will be painting the internal walls of the toilets and generally improving the look of the toilets. We have been seeking guidance from Council with advice on compliance to erect and install a new entrance statement to Yamba. Watch this space as we unveil the plans over the next month or two. This is a Chamber initiative with generous support from local businesses in donating resources, equipment and supplies. We are confident that you will like the new entrance statement and thank Mitre 10 and Andrew Harris Engineering for their continued support. We have also been meeting with Council staff to replace the community services board located in Fred Phillip’s Park, off Ford Park, along Wooli Street. In the near future, we will be demolishing the existing signage and replacing with a modern surfboard design signage. This is another ‘watch this space’ as we unfold our progress over the coming months. Another Chamber initiative that we introduced last year was the Welcome Bags. These bags are given out to visitors through the real estate agents and motels. We are particularly looking for flyers, specials etc, so if you want to promote your business this way, please email us to the address below. These Welcome Bags have proved to be successful and are a great way to advertise and promote your business, especially if you aren’t located in an area that has a lot of people traffic. Each year we nominate someone in our community in all four categories for the Clarence Valley Council Australia Day Awards. If you can think of anyone deserving in the following categories, Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Community Achievement and Local Hero, please email us to the address below with your suggestions. The Clarence Valley Business Excellence Awards will open for nominations on 2nd May, so please consider nominating your business. These awards are in their 10th year and are a great opportunity to review your business, boost your business profile in the community and be rewarded for business excellence. Not a member of the Chamber? Then go to our website www.yambansw.com.au and download a membership form. For $88 a year, we think this is money well spent, as every dollar is spent making Yamba a better place to live, visit and do business in. We can be contacted at info@yambansw.com.au Sue Hughes, President