Big Business Breakfast Club – December 2025

The final Big Business Breakfast Club of 2025 took place on Friday 19th December at Sussex County Cricket Ground, and it was a fitting way to close out a brilliant year for the BBBC community.

December’s meeting was proudly sponsored by DIY Utilities, with WOLO Foundation selected as the supported charity. For our festive finale, we also mixed up the format slightly, welcoming special guests who brought entertainment, energy, and a bit of Christmas magic to the room.

Fresh Faces and Ambassadors

December saw us welcome 20 first-time attendees, continuing a trend we’re proud of – consistently attracting people who are new to business networking. If December was your first BBBC, we hope you felt the warmth, openness, and buzz in the room, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

We also welcomed one new BBBC Ambassador: Stuart Moffat (Mortgage Saving Experts). That brings us to over 150 BBBC ambassadors, out there spreading the word and representing this community across the Brighton and Sussex business circuit. Thank you to every one of you.

December Sponsor – DIY Utilities

A big thank you goes to Malcolm Jacobs and the team at DIY Utilities for sponsoring December’s meeting. Malcolm shared how DIY Utilities help businesses across Sussex and the UK to better manage their utility bills and reduce costs – a subject that resonated strongly with the room.

December Charity – WOLO Foundation

We heard from Sam Pond, who spoke about the incredible work WOLO Foundation does to support families affected by cancer in Sussex.

We raised £177 in ticket donations during December’s meeting, which Sam explained is enough to support a family for two months. That brings the total raised by the BBBC community to just shy of £8,600 for local charities. An outstanding collective effort and something everyone involved should be proud of.

December Special Guests

For our Christmas meeting, we swapped the usual head-to-head speaker format for something a little different.

Jonny Ritchie – Jonny Does Magic

We were treated to a live performance from local magician Jonny Ritchie, who has entertained audiences ranging from weddings and events to high-profile clients. With Sam Pond bravely stepping in as assistant, Jonny delivered a fantastic set that had the room laughing, guessing, and fully engaged. A brilliant way to round off the year.

Hit The Silk

We were also joined by Hit The Silk, a modern-vintage singing trio who performed a selection of Christmas classics alongside vintage favourites. Stylish, uplifting, and perfectly pitched for the festive atmosphere in the room.

Marketing, AI, and Vermouth

Our resident marketing genius Alex Ryan returned once again, bringing along his Sussex-based brand Vermouth Actually. Alongside the drinks, Alex shared practical insights into how AI tools can help businesses streamline their marketing and work more efficiently.

As part of Alex’s presentation, the seasonal business card challenge remains live – anyone who collected all four seasonal business cards across 2025 should send Alex proof, and there’s a bottle of Prosecco waiting.

December Media Team

Photographer – Michael Cheetham

December marked a moment of reflection for our resident photographer Michael Cheetham, who looked back on the success of his event photography workshops across 2025. Michael extended a huge thank you to his guest photographers throughout the year:

Marcus Quilter, Jane Keating, Tony Graham, Gibson Blanc, Eduardo Benfatti, Ziggy Lyons, Georgina Smith, and Ishika Desi.

The total revenue generated for the creatives involved so far stands at £5,695, a fantastic result and a brilliant initiative supporting the creative community.

Videographer – Howie McConnell (28th Street Media)

A big thank you to Howie McConnell of 28th Street Media for another polished event montage capturing the energy and atmosphere of the December meeting.

Thank Yous – 2025

Our 2025 Sponsors

A sincere thank you to all our sponsors who backed the BBBC throughout 2025:

Orange Property, H2 Productions, XO3D, Brighton & Hove Business Show, Streets Chartered Accountants, Evolve – Pipedrive CRM Experts, Base Insurance, Tottington Manor, Network Xpress, Training Legs First Aid, Benchmark Financial Planning, and DIY Utilities.

Your support keeps this room and this community thriving.

Our 2025 Speakers

Thank you to all our speakers who shared their insight, experience, and time across the year:

Jody Raynsford, Simon Nicholson, Marina Fernandez Julian, Will Buckley, Leon Taylor, Marina Lazaris, Kevin Byrne, Lyndsey Clay, Max Marshall, Sam Adams, Joel Lawton, Jonny Ritchie, and Hit The Silk.

The BBBC Team

And finally, thank you to the team behind the scenes who make every event happen:

Jim Cunliffe, Sam Thomas, Steve Darby, Jackie Ashwood, Alex Ryan, Martin Leppard, Michael Cheetham, Howie McConnell, Amy Wonnacott, Jenny Legg, and Simon Gregg.

A special thank you as well to Lyndsey Clay and James Armstrong, who stepped in during 2025 when needed.

The biggest thank you of all goes to everyone who turns up month after month. Networking is a long game – you just have to keep showing your face.