The Newcastle business community was out in full force earlier this month, with over 150 members and guests attending the Newcastle Business Club (NBC) sell out luncheon at the Newcastle Jockey Club.

This was the first luncheon hosted by Newcastle Business Club since March, when COVID-19 restrictions began.

To mark the occasion, iconic Hunter personality, Jeff McCloy, took centre stage, where guests were treated to a firsthand account of his diverse and colourful history.

NBC President, Clare Ferguson, said she was excited as well as nervous about holding their first event since COVID-19, but felt the business community were ready to reconnect once again.

“The committee and I were of course concerned about holding an event, but the timing seemed right,” Clare said.

“As restrictions started to ease andwe started to receive positive feedback from members and the wider business community, this gave us confidence that there was a real need to reconnect.”

After months of redefining and adjusting to the new normal across Hunter workplaces, the luncheon was a welcomed return to a familiar and much needed connection.

“The need for reconnection was strong. We’d created a series of videos that shared our individual experiences throughout COVID-19and overwhelmingly, the basic human needs of connection and interaction were acute,” Clare said.

Jeff’s presentation focused not only on his significant professional achievements but also the importance of having a strong vision, being able to connect the dots and never take life for granted.

The event was COVID-19 Safe with social distancing practices in place, with guests required to have their temperature taken on arrival. But all of this was taken in their stride, with guests eager to network (albeit a little further apart than usual).

“You certainly couldn’t say it was a squeeze–we had plenty of space to spread out, but still the atmosphere was great. There were even several races underway, which provided a brilliant backdrop for the event,” Clare concluded.

The next open-invitation luncheon will be held in November. More information on how to become a member can be found on the NBC website.

IMAGE |Newcastle Business Luncheon guests and speakers at the Newcastle Jockey Club.