Since the Lismore Chamber of Commerce moved to its new office location last week, the organisation’s executive officer Emma Wallace has been smiling.

It’s a fresh start for both Emma and the Chamber of Commerce - as the organisation begins its new lease on life in a new Molesworth Street location at MP’s The Meeting Place.

Emma too has a new lease on life after a journey through cancer treatment.

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“People were wondering what was happening with the Chamber for a while,” Emma said. “The Chamber’s activities slowed down during Covid, as the committee tried to keep their own businesses afloat.

“I was also on a journey of healing and I took a step back as I went through chemotherapy and stem cell treatment for Myloma (a type of blood cancer). It was pretty hard.

“The Chamber really supported me through it – but now I love having a workplace in a shared location with other offices in a central location.

“I’m back in better health now and I want to bring 100% of my passion for the role of helping local businesses in this beautiful new location. It’s a fresh start to springboard from.”

Not only is MP’s a secure space where anyone can rent a room to hold a meeting, or rent an office space when they need it, the building has an accessible ramp at the entrance.

Emma said she often sits on the chairs in the shared space and had a meeting with Janelle Saffin on the front lounges last week.

“This place is progressive for Lismore,” she said. “This type of space is quite typical in cities and it’s something Lismore needs to be up to date with and the Chamber wants to support that.

“Businesses can send their representatives and consultants here too.

“It’s a professional place to be in and representative of the level of work we do.

“A lot of people ask me: what is the chamber? Now only do we network and hold business events, we also network, advocate and lobby for local businesses.”

With the overheads like electricity and internet included in the rent, Emma said the move to the new space was “more effective for us because we work off members’ dues and we wanted to do what was best by them”.

Emma is looking forward to MP’s café opening next week and she intends to hold meetings there too.

So, what’s coming up in the future for the Chamber of Commerce?

“We scaled back our After Hours Business Events because of Covid, but we are looking to hold a business event in October with take home tools for local businesses,” she said. “We also want to highlight the stories of local businesses.

“Hopefully it can be a face to face event, it will depend what happens with Covid.”

The Lismore Chamber of Commerce is now located at MP's Meeting Place, at 9/105 Molesworth Street (PO Box 1312) 

Inside MP's kitchen space.