Our inaugural Gatwick Diamond: The Power of Place Conference took place on the 2nd July at Wilton Park. It brought together business leaders partners and stakeholders for a thoughtful and inspiring morning of exploring what makes places suceed and why the Gatwick Diamond Continues to be a region with ambition and opportunity.
Expertly hosted by Richard Freeman, CEO of Always Possible, the day encouraged guests to think beyond geography and consider the connections, culture and collaboration that create thriving communities and economies.
Setting the Scene
Our opening keynote speaker, Wayne Hemingway MBE, Co-Founder of Red or Dead and Hemingway Design, set the tone perfectly by challenging us to think differently about place, culture and identity. His insight highlighted the role of culture in creating a sense of belonging and community. Places become meaningful because of the stories, experiences and aspirations that people share. It was a powerful reminder that the Gatwick Diamond's strengths lie in it's people and the partnerships that bring us together.
The Future of the Gatwick Diamond
One of the highlights was our panel discussion exploring the strategic projects, partnerships and initiatives helping to position the region as a dynamic and resilient economic hub. A huge thank you to our panelists:
Brett North – Gatwick Diamond Business / Invest in the Gatwick Diamond
Bruce Calton – Gatwick Green
Geri Silverstone – APPG for the Southeast Gatwick Diamond Gateway
Julie Kapsalis MBE – Nescot and Co-Chair of the London Gatwick Airport Economic Zone
Michelle Walder – Chair of the Women's Football Board at Brighton & Hove Albion
Steve Sawyer – Manor Royal BID
The discussion offered valuable insight into the opportunities and challenges facing our region, particulalry around sustainable growth, skills development and investment.
What stood out was the interesting perspectives around the role that education and sport play in creating successful places. From developing future talent to building community pride and engagement. The panel reinforced a simple but key message that "success comes when organisations work together with a shared vision for the future".
Rethinking Education
We were then treated to a thought provoking keynote from Hayley Peacock, Founder of Atelier21 School. Hayley's passion for transforming education was evident throughout as she challenged traditional assumptions about learning and explored how the education system can better prepare young people for a rapidly changing world. It sparked curiousity and conversation about innovation, curiousity and lifelong learning.
The most entertaining part was when Hayley tasked the audience with considering as many possible uses for a paperclip. The exercise generated plenty of laughter (and some horror) while perfectly demonstrating the power of divergent thinking and problem solving.
Showcasing Regional Excellence
Throughout the day, delegates had the chance to visit a range of trade stands representing organisations from across the Diamond. They proved a popular feature of the event, sparking conversations, creating new connections and showcasing the strength of our business community.
Looking Ahead
To close the conference, Mark Rogers provided a thought provoking session focused on devolution and the changing landscape of regional governance. Rather than providing all the answers, Mark posed a series of important questions and considerations about leadership, local decision making and how regions like the Gatwick Diamond can make the most of future opportunities. It was a fitting end to a day centred on collaboration and ambition for the future.
Thank you
We finished the day with a delicious networking lunch, giving attendees the opportunity to continue the conversations and reflect on the ideas shared throughout the day.
A huge thank you to our compere, speakers, panelists, trade stand holders, Wilton Park and our Headline Sponsor Irwin Mitchell for helping to ensure the first event was such a success. Most importantly thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion.
Richard started the day with the quote "The Gatwick Diamond is a made up place" and while yes that's true, we discovered that it was built deliberately by the people and community who chose to be a part of it.
Richard Freeman opened the conference by reflecting on the idea that "the Gatwick Diamond is a made-up place." In many ways, that's true. It isn't defined by traditional boundaries or a single town or city. But what the conference demonstrated so clearly is that the Gatwick Diamond has become a strong, vibrant and influential place because of the people who choose to belong here, build here, invest here and work together to create its future.
