LONDON:

Black business owners gathered in Peckham, South London last week for their end-of-year celebrations at the J. Wray and Nephew-sponsored ‘Wray Forward’ community event, held in association with Foundervine.

The Foundervine Community is a powerful network of entrepreneurs, mentors and industry leaders which hosts regular events throughout the year to support members’ growth and celebrate successes. The Wray Forward programme has helped to empower their businesses and amplify their voices as black entrepreneurs.

Among the speakers at the Peckham Levels venue in Rye Lane was Brent East MP Dawn Butler, who highlighted the remarkable £21-billion contribution black-led businesses make to the British economy. She underscored the importance of “staying true to your values and persevering through challenges”. This ‘steadfast belief in yourself and unwavering dedication to your business’ success serve as powerful catalysts for the inspirational changes we are witnessing in society today,” she added.

Ian Burrell, an entrepreneur who has been hosting the annual Rum Fest expo in London for over 19 years, shared his inspiring journey to being formally recognised as a Global Ambassador of Rum.

He reminded the audience of the importance of persistence, creativity and staying true to vision, and illustrated how thinking differently and embracing innovation can lead to entrepreneurial success.

Other Foundervine trailblazers who shared their success stories were; Kufa Matiya, founder of FutureMatch, Liha Okunniwa, co-founder of LIHA Beauty, and Tahlia Grey, founder of Sheer Chemistry. All three highlighted how the Wray Forward programme played a key role in their entrepreneurial journey and success.

The evening ended with a lively networking session, rounded off with a raffle draw with products donated by Foundervine members and delightful rum cocktails served up by the J. Wray and Nephew team.