Read BNI

18/04/2026

♦️ Visitor Day | Finance Focus ♦️

Right now, everything feels like it’s shifting.

Interest rates remain unpredictable.
�Global tensions are impacting markets.
�New regulations and financial pressures are hitting businesses from all angles.

And for many business owners and individuals, the big question is…�what should I actually be doing right now?

On Wednesday 22 April, BNI Read is opening its doors for a special Visitor Day led by our Finance Power Team designed to bring clarity in a time of uncertainty.

You’ll hear from three trusted experts working on the front line of finance:

♦️ Tom – TED Mortgages�Helping clients secure the right mortgage solutions in a constantly changing market, whether that’s first-time buyers, remortgaging, or building a property portfolio.

♦️ Grace – Riverview Portfolio�Supporting business owners with proactive accounting, financial visibility, and smarter decision-making as new regulations and cost pressures continue to evolve.

♦️ Stewart – Bellinger Financial Planning�Advising individuals and business owners on long-term financial strategy, pensions, and wealth planning helping you protect and grow what you’ve built.

Together, they’ll deliver a focused session packed with real-world insight you can act on immediately.

If you’re:�• Unsure how current market conditions affect you�• Navigating rising costs or tighter margins�• Planning growth, investment, or exit strategies�• Wanting to get your personal finances aligned with your business

This is a conversation you need to be part of.
📅 Wednesday 22 April 2026�⏰ 6:30am – 8:30am�📍 Village Hotel, West Swindon

Expect a high-energy room, meaningful connections, and practical takeaways you can use straight away.

Visitors are always welcome but this session will be in demand.

👉 Message us to secure your place.

18/04/2026

Still doing your records in a way that only makes sense to you, three spreadsheets and a pile of receipts? You might want to check this.

Making Tax Digital is now live, and from 6 April 2026 some sole traders and landlords need to keep digital records and use compatible software.

A lot of people will assume this is only an issue for bigger businesses, landlords with massive portfolios, or people who are not trading through a company. Not necessarily.

If you personally have qualifying self-employment income or property income over the threshold, this could apply to you.

The key dates are in the graphic, but the main point is simple: if your bookkeeping process is held together by habit, hope and a last-minute panic, MTD will not improve that.

Now is the time to get things cleaned up before deadlines start landing.

Need help working out whether this applies to you? Get in touch with the team.

18/04/2026

You've built a business you're proud of.

You work hard, you deliver, and you're good at what you do.

So why does getting paid still feel like the hardest part?

On 21st May I'm running a full day workshop in Wiltshire specifically for small business owners who are done with accepting late payment as just part of the deal. We'll work through what it's really costing you, the conversations you need to be having, and what to put in place so it stops happening.

It's a practical day with plenty of time to ask questions about your own situation. Lunch is included.

Early bird tickets are £150 + VAT until 30th April. Link in bio to book.

16/04/2026

♦️ Visitor Day | Financial Services Power Team ♦️

I’m Laurie Kyle, President of BNI Read, and I’d love to invite you to join us for something special.

On Wednesday 22nd April, we’re opening our doors for our Financial Services Visitor Day.

It’s a great opportunity to step into the room, meet like minded business owners, and see how BNI supports real business growth.

We are currently looking to connect with:
♦️ Business Coaches
♦️ Bookkeepers
♦️ Solicitors
♦️ Financial and Property Professionals
…and others working within the financial space

If that sounds like you, this is your chance to build meaningful relationships, raise your profile locally, and explore how referrals can support your business.

✅ Free entry for the day
✅ Meet trusted local professionals
✅ Build connections that lead to real opportunities

If you’re interested, we would love to welcome you.

📩 Drop us a DM and we’ll send you your invite

15/04/2026

♦️ Lifelong Learning in Action ♦️

At BNI Read this week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Julian Lewis, Executive Director for BNI Berkshire Gloucestershire & Wiltshire, who delivered a brilliant and energising session for the chapter.

Julian brought a fresh perspective on how we can sharpen our referral and networking strategies, with a reminder that learning never stops in BNI.

From injecting real energy into your 10-minute presentations using props, balloons and a bit of fun… to revisiting the power of VCP (Visibility, Credibility, Profitability)… the session was packed with practical ideas we can all take away and apply immediately.

A few standout reminders for the room:
♦️ Be specific with your referral requests so your fellow members know exactly who to look out for�♦️ Use customer checklists to support your Power Teams and create stronger referral pathways�♦️ Keep your presentations engaging, memorable and a little unexpected

It was a great reset and a timely reminder that small improvements in how we show up each week can lead to big results over time.

Thanks again Julian for taking the time to educate, inspire and challenge us 👏

13/04/2026

♦️ Visitor Day | Finance Focus ♦️

Right now, everything feels like it’s shifting.

Interest rates remain unpredictable.
🔴 Global tensions are impacting markets.
🔴 New regulations and financial pressures are hitting businesses from all angles.

And for many business owners and individuals, the big question is…
what should I actually be doing right now?

On Wednesday 22 April, BNI Read is opening its doors for a special Visitor Day led by our Finance Power Team designed to bring clarity in a time of uncertainty.

You’ll hear from three trusted experts working on the front line of finance:

♦️ Tom – TED Mortgages
Helping clients secure the right mortgage solutions in a constantly changing market, whether that’s first-time buyers, remortgaging, or building a property portfolio.

♦️ Grace – Riverview Portfolio
Supporting business owners with proactive accounting, financial visibility, and smarter decision-making as new regulations and cost pressures continue to evolve.

♦️ Stewart – Bellinger Financial Planning
Advising individuals and business owners on long-term financial strategy, pensions, and wealth planning helping you protect and grow what you’ve built.

Together, they’ll deliver a focused session packed with real-world insight you can act on immediately.

If you’re:
• Unsure how current market conditions affect you
• Navigating rising costs or tighter margins
• Planning growth, investment, or exit strategies
• Wanting to get your personal finances aligned with your business

This is a conversation you need to be part of.

📅 Wednesday 22 April 2026
⏰ 6:30am – 8:30am
📍 Village Hotel, West Swindon

Expect a high-energy room, meaningful connections, and practical takeaways you can use straight away.

Visitors are always welcome but this session will be in demand.

👉 Message us to secure your place.

13/04/2026

♦️ Featured Speaker of the Week ♦️

This week at BNI Read (West Swindon), we’re pleased to welcome Julian Lewis, Executive Director for BNI Berkshire, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire, as our Featured Speaker.

Julian supports a network of over 450 businesses, helping members maximise the value of their BNI membership through structure, accountability and proven referral strategies.

In this week’s education slot, Julian will be sharing practical insight into how members can get more from BNI, from increasing referrals and strengthening relationships, through to hitting membership targets and improving overall ROI.

For anyone looking to sharpen their approach, build consistency and unlock more opportunity within the network, this is a session not to miss.

BNI meetings are structured, focused and designed to build strong relationships that lead to real business opportunities.

If you’d like to meet Julian and connect with a strong group of local business professionals, come along as a visitor this Wednesday.

📅 Wednesday morning
📍 Village Hotel, West Swindon
⏰ 6:30am – 8:30am

Visitors always welcome.

08/04/2026

08/04/2026

🐣 Easter fun with purpose at BNI Read, West Swindon 🐣

This morning’s meeting brought a brilliant mix of energy, community spirit and a little bit of Easter excitement… all in support of our chosen charity, SwimTayka 💛

We held a charity raffle packed with some fantastic prizes, all generously donated by our members, including:

🍫 Easter chocolates
🧁 A handheld mixer
🎨 Colouring books for kids
…and more!

Thanks to everyone’s contributions and enthusiasm, we raised over £120 to support SwimTayka’s vital work in drowning prevention education for children, both here in the UK and in communities where this knowledge is life-saving.

It was a great reminder of what BNI is all about. Not just business, but giving back, supporting each other, and making a real difference.

👏 Huge thank you to everyone who donated prizes, bought tickets and got involved.

📅 Wednesday mornings
📍 Village Hotel, West Swindon
⏰ 6:30am – 8:30am

Visitors always welcome.

08/04/2026

♦️ Nineteen business owners. One room. Endless opportunity ♦️

Every Wednesday morning, something powerful happens at BNI Read West Swindon.

Nineteen professional, driven business people come together to build relationships, pass referrals and genuinely support each other’s growth.

It’s not just networking. It’s a room full of energy, ambition and real opportunity.

And honestly… there’s no better way to start your Wednesday.If you’re serious about growing your business, making strong connections and becoming part of a supportive local network, why not come and see it for yourself?

You’ll be made to feel welcome from the moment you walk in.

📅 Wednesday mornings
📍 Village Hotel, West Swindon
⏰ 6:30am – 8:30am

Visitors always welcome.

Thanks to Daniel James Media for the awesome edit!

03/04/2026

👏 This Week at BNI Read 👏

A huge well done to Bryan Avery from our chosen charity, SwimTayka, who was recognised this week for his outstanding contribution to the chapter.

At BNI, we track referrals, visitors and TYFTB (Thank You For The Business) each month. For March, Bryan topped the charts across all three. A brilliant achievement and a true reflection of his commitment to supporting others in the room.

This is exactly what BNI is all about. Showing up, contributing, and helping others grow their businesses.

Congratulations Bryan, and thank you for consistently demonstrating the power of Givers Gain.

📅 Wednesday mornings
📍 Village Hotel, West Swindon
⏰ 6:30am – 8:30am

Visitors always welcome.

02/04/2026

♦️ This Week at BNI: Pranks, Precision and Powerful Connections ♦️

This week’s meeting (1st April) kicked off with a few classic April Fools’ pranks as members arrived… a great way to start the morning and set the tone.

Once we got going, the room was full of energy, positivity and intent. What really stood out was how specific everyone was with their referral requests. Clear asks create clear opportunities, and that’s where BNI really works.

Our education slot was delivered by Lisa Chaffey, The Transformation Coach from the BNI Reading Central Chapter.

Lisa brought a fun, interactive session to the room, using a simple game (and a Cadbury’s Creme Egg prize) to demonstrate a powerful point… the more specific you are with your referrals, the easier it is for others to connect you to the right people.

Our 10-minute feature speaker was stewart Bellinger from Bellinger Financial Planning.

Stewart shared a clear and practical overview of how he supports both businesses and individuals, with a strong focus on:
• Pension planning for companies with 10+ staff
• Business protection and key person cover
• Creating clarity around cash flow and long-term financial planning

Key takeaways:
• No upfront fees for advice, only when work begins
• Backed and guaranteed through St. James's Place
• Typical advice costs around 0.8%, compared to up to 1-3% elsewhere

Another strong meeting, full of great conversations, quality referrals and momentum building across the chapter.

Next week: Easter Auction 🐰
All proceeds will go to our chosen charity, SwimTayka. It’s set to be a brilliant morning, so bring your bids and get involved.

📅 Wednesday morning
📍 Village Hotel Swindon
⏰ 6:30am – 8:30am

Visitors always welcome.

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