Read BNI

18/01/2026

♦️Featured Speaker of the Week ♦️

This week at BNI Read (West Swindon), our 10-minute Featured Speaker is Leo McCrindle from Vulcan Passive Fire Protection.

Leo will be sharing insight into the critical role passive fire protection plays in keeping buildings compliant, safe and operational, particularly across commercial, care and managed environments.

Leo is looking to connect with:
• Health & Safety professionals
• Fire Risk Assessors
• Trades and contractors
• Surveyors
• Facilities Managers
• Care Home Operators

This meeting is also our Visitor Day, making it a great opportunity for local trades and property professionals to experience how BNI helps businesses grow through trusted relationships, a proven referral process and a room full of people actively championing one another’s businesses.

If you are serious about winning better work, building stronger connections and growing through recommendation, this is a meeting worth attending.

Visitors are very welcome.

📅 Wednesday 21 January
⏰ 6.30am – 8.30am
📍 Village Hotel, Swindon
👉 Register to attend

14/01/2026

🎉 A birthday celebration at this morning’s chapter meeting 🎉

Today we celebrated James Woodhams from JMW Carpentry & Builders marking his birthday with a big BNI cheer and a very welcome caterpillar cake.

James runs a highly regarded building and carpentry business, specialising in home renovations, extensions, loft conversions and basement projects. His work is known for quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and a professional, reliable approach from start to finish.

Happy birthday, James. A great way to start the day and a great business to have in the chapter.

14/01/2026

♦️ Today we welcomed Amanda Baldry from Grow Insurance, as our newest member at BNI Read (West Swindon) 👏

Amanda supports businesses across the UK with clear, practical business insurance solutions, helping owners protect what they have worked hard to build and plan confidently for the future.

She was proudly sponsored into the chapter by Nathan Sandhu from Jazzbones Creative, and we are delighted to have her join our growing network of trusted professionals.

We are looking forward to learning more about Amanda’s work, the clients she supports best and how we can help her grow through strong, referral-based relationships.

Welcome to the chapter, Amanda 😊

12/01/2026

♦️Giver’s Gain ♦️

At the heart of BNI is its founding core value: Giver’s Gain.

In simple terms, Giver’s Gain means that when you genuinely help others succeed, you create the conditions for your own success. It is not about keeping score or expecting immediate returns. It is about trust, credibility and long-term relationships built on generosity.

From an official BNI perspective, Giver’s Gain is the principle that drives referrals. Members focus on understanding each other’s businesses, spotting opportunities and making introductions because it is the right thing to do, not because they are obliged to. Over time, this culture of giving builds strong networks where opportunities flow naturally.

But Giver’s Gain goes beyond business.

As explored in Infinite Giving, it is also a way of living. A mindset rooted in abundance rather than scarcity. Showing up with integrity. Being supportive without expectation. Putting positive energy, effort and intention out into the world and trusting that it will come back in ways you may not immediately see.

When practiced consistently, Giver’s Gain shapes better professionals, stronger communities and more meaningful relationships. Not just on Monday mornings, but every day.

10/01/2026

♦️ We would like to introduce the BNI Read (West Swindon) leadership team ♦️

Our leadership team supports the smooth running of the chapter, helps create a positive and welcoming environment, and ensures every member gets the most from their BNI experience.

They encourage collaboration, uphold the Givers Gain philosophy and support trusted business relationships.

President ♦️
Laurie Kyle – Graphic Design
Giddy Octopus

Ensures meetings run smoothly, maintains structure, and supports the chapter in achieving shared goals.

Vice-President ♦️
Hayriye Mazzotta – Virtual Assistant
Smart PA

Monitors chapter performance, encourages engagement, and helps members improve results in a supportive way.

Secretary/Treasurer ♦️
Peter Jones – HR
HRDept

Manages administration and finances, ensuring the chapter operates efficiently and professionally each week.

Thank you to Laurie, Hayriye and Peter for the time, commitment and energy you give to the chapter week in, week out.

10/01/2026

BNI Visitor Day ♦️
Calling Trades 🔧

If you work in the trades or construction sector and want a more reliable way to generate quality referrals, this is for you.

On Wednesday 21 January, our BNI chapter is hosting a Visitor Day and we are actively looking to welcome trade and construction professionals who want to grow their businesses through trusted local connections.

We are particularly keen to meet:

🟥 Health & Safety consultants
🟥 Architects
🟥 Plumbers
🟥 Electricians
🟥 Builders and specialist trades
🟥 Property professionals

BNI works because it is structured, consistent and built on trust. Members actively look for opportunities to refer work to one another, creating a steady pipeline of warm, relevant introductions rather than cold leads.

Visitor Day is ideal if you:
✅ Want more of the right type of work
✅ Value relationships over price-led competition
✅ Prefer referrals to constant quoting and chasing
✅ Want long-term visibility in your local market

You will meet a supportive group of business owners, see how referrals are passed in real time, and decide whether BNI is right for your business.

📅 Wednesday 21 January
⏰ 6.30am – 8.30am
📍 Village Hotel, Swindon

If you would like to attend as a visitor, drop us a message and we will share the details.

09/01/2026

Network Leaders – December 👏

At BNI, we like to take time to recognise individual contributions to the chapter and the support members give to one another. It is our way of saying thank you and celebrating the many small actions that help the whole group grow.

If you are new to BNI, everything starts with people, not numbers.

Givers Gain is simply a mindset built around trust, generosity and long-term relationships. There is no pressure to perform.

Everyone contributes in different ways and at their own pace.

The BNI Connect app is just a simple tool that helps us capture these positive moments so they can be recognised and appreciated. It is about visibility and encouragement, not monitoring.

With that in mind, here are a few members we would like to recognise from December.

Thank You for the Business (TYFTB)
This reflects genuine business passed between members who trust one another and enjoy working together.

• Grace Brown – £13,990
RiverView Portfolio Ltd

Referrals
A referral is simply recommending someone when you believe they would be a good fit. It is about confidence and care, not targets.

• Bryan Avery – 16
SwimTayka

Visitors
Inviting visitors helps keep the chapter welcoming, varied and full of fresh conversations.

• Bryan Avery – 1
• Thomas Brennan – 1
TED Mortgages

Every contribution matters, whether it is a conversation, an introduction or simple support behind the scenes. These highlights are just one small snapshot of a friendly and supportive business community.

08/01/2026

What an amazing story! ♦️

The BNI® Origin Story

I launched the first BNI chapter on this day, 41 years ago. I was a management consultant and wanted a way to generate referrals with people I knew and trusted. In that group, we merged business with relationships, held together by a philosophy of giving first. Today we have more than 355,000 members around the world meeting each week in 11,600+ chapters! Learn the entire BNI origin story here: https://tinyurl.com/2d2b6y94

08/01/2026

BNI Visitor Day 🔧
Calling Trades & Construction Professionals

If you work in the trades or construction sector and want a more reliable way to generate quality referrals, this is for you.

On Wednesday 21 January, our BNI chapter is hosting a Visitor Day and we are actively looking to welcome trade and construction professionals who want to grow their businesses through trusted local connections.

We are particularly keen to meet:

🟥 Health & Safety consultants
🟥 Architects
🟥 Plumbers
🟥 Electricians
🟥 Builders and specialist trades
🟥 Property professionals

BNI works because it is structured, consistent and built on trust. Members actively look for opportunities to refer work to one another, creating a steady pipeline of warm, relevant introductions rather than cold leads.

Visitor Day is ideal if you:
✅ Want more of the right type of work
✅ Value relationships over price-led competition
✅ Prefer referrals to constant quoting and chasing
✅ Want long-term visibility in your local market

You will meet a supportive group of business owners, see how referrals are passed in real time, and decide whether BNI is right for your business.

📅 Wednesday 21 January
⏰ 6.30am – 8.30am
📍 Village Hotel, Swindon

If you would like to attend as a visitor, drop us a message and we will share the details.

07/01/2026

At this week’s Read BNI meeting, our chosen charity SwimTayka was featured in a powerful 10-minute presentation from Bryan Avery 🏊‍♂️

Bryan shared the extraordinary work Swim Tayka does to prevent drowning and save young lives, alongside his personal experiences of swimming with sharks and completing extreme endurance challenges where fear is managed, not fought.

The message was clear. This is not about spectacle. It is about courage, discipline and standing beside children and families who need access to swimming and water safety education.

Looking ahead to 2026, Swim Tayka is actively seeking support through corporate CSR partnerships and sponsorship opportunities with local, community-focused businesses that want their values to be lived, not just stated.

If your organisation is looking for a meaningful CSR partnership that delivers real local impact across Swindon and Wiltshire, this is a conversation worth having.

Thank you to Bryan for an inspiring presentation and for reminding us what purposeful business support really looks like. 

07/01/2026

Great to be back in the room for our first BNI meeting of the New Year 🎉

There is something powerful about starting the year together with clarity, structure and a shared focus on helping each other grow.

For anyone new to BNI, this is what we do. We bring local business owners together each week to build trusted relationships that lead to genuine referrals and long-term opportunities. It is structured, supportive and built around clear values, not awkward networking.

Discover more about Swindon's Read Chapter here:
https://bni-wiltshire.co.uk/wiltshire-read-bni-(west-swindon)/en-GB/index

We took time to recognise our Network Leaders for December, because recognition matters at BNI and it fuels growth.

December Network Leaders
• TYFTB (Thank You for the Business): Grace Brown – £13,990 👏
• Referrals: Bryan Avery – 16 🎉
• Visitors: Bryan Avery and Thomas Brennan – one visitor each 🙏

Today’s meeting also included a 10-minute feature presentation from Bryan Avery of SwimTayka, sharing the important work the charity does around drowning prevention and water safety, and the types of connections and support that help extend its impact.

BNI is about giving first, showing up consistently, and supporting others to succeed. When that happens, the results follow.

If you are a business owner who has heard of BNI but never really understood what happens in the room, we would love to welcome you as a visitor and show you how it works in practice.

Message us to find out more or to attend an upcoming meeting.

Our Leadership Team:
President: Laurie Kyle
Vice-President: Hayriye Mazzotta
Secretary/Treasurer: Peter Jones
Visitor Host Coordinator: Bryan Avery

05/01/2026

Just before Christmas, we had a fantastic 10-minute presentation from Andy Platts of Jireh Solutions 👏

Andy talked about the difference between what businesses get from IT support and what they actually want. Yes, you get helpdesk support and projects — but what you really want is preventative, ongoing and strategic IT that stops problems before they start.

Andy shared how Jireh Solutions focuses on being proactive rather than reactive, delivering a secure, reliable and fit-for-purpose IT environment. From locking down computers, networks, cloud and backups, to advanced email filtering, multi-layered security, updates, monitoring and awareness training, their approach is all about protection, resilience and long-term alignment with the business.

Their mindset is simple but powerful: if their customer has a problem, they have a problem.

Jireh Solutions is particularly well suited to businesses that value quality, security and reliability — especially those with compliance or security requirements, those handling money or sensitive data, businesses with a reputation (or shareholders) to protect, and fast-growing teams. While they typically support organisations of 10–100 people, even a team of two can benefit from the right IT foundations.

If you know a business that fits this profile and is looking for IT support that’s strategic, secure and genuinely preventative, now’s the time to get in touch with Andy Platts.