Rivervale: growing with purpose, powered by community

As Sussex Business Times celebrates its 500th edition, Rivervale reflects on a journey of growth, change and community impact, and on the role SBT and County Business Clubs have played in helping share that story.

A partnership built on shared values

Some brands do more than report on business. They help shape the conversation around it. For Rivervale, Sussex Business Times has been exactly that.

Over the years, we have been proud to be a partner of Sussex Business Times and County Business Clubs, and to watch the brand grow into something far bigger than a magazine. What Sam and Jackie have done with Sussex Business Times in recent years feels genuinely special. From the Different Hats Podcast and its honest, inspiring stories, to Top Table events that bring people together in a meaningful way, and a magazine that continues to evolve with its audience, SBT has become a powerful platform for the Sussex business community.

That is something we admire hugely because it reflects what great business should be about. Not just transactions or headlines, but people, relationships and shared stories.

For Rivervale, that focus has always resonated. We have grown and changed a great deal over the years, but at heart we have always wanted to be a business that is trusted, useful and rooted in the communities we serve. SBT and CBC have been there to help tell that story, not just when things are easy, but through milestones, partnerships, growth and change. That kind of support matters.

Growing with clarity and purpose

Rivervale has entered an exciting new chapter in recent years.

Our business has continued to grow and evolve, strengthening its specialist offer across car and van leasing, fleet management and minibuses. Most recently, that journey has included our move from Victoria Road in Portslade to a new base in Shoreham. It is a move that reflects where the business is today and where we are heading next.

The relocation gives us a more practical operational base, with space for new offices, future growth, and the ability to prepare and manage vehicles more effectively for our fleet customers. It marks an important milestone in the Rivervale story, but it is also part of something bigger. It is about building a business that is fit for the future while staying true to the values that have helped us get here.

As we have grown, one thing has remained consistent. We have always believed that success should be measured by more than commercial performance alone.

Supporting the communities around us

Community has long been part of Rivervale’s DNA.

One of the clearest and most recent examples of that is our ongoing involvement with Brighton Marathon Weekend. Over the years, that support has grown into a major partnership, with Rivervale helping keep one of the city’s biggest events moving. From lead and logistics vehicles to practical support behind the scenes, it is the sort of involvement that reflects who we are as a business. We like to show up, get involved and make a difference in a practical way.

That same approach runs through our wider community work. In 2024, Rivervale chose Chestnut Tree House as its charity partner, with a fundraising target to help pay for a day of care each year. It was a cause that meant a great deal to our team and one we were proud to support.

Alongside that, our broader community and ESG activity has included planting 500 trees with the Field Studies Council, supporting the Russell Martin Foundation in Brighton & Hove, raising more than £10,000 for Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, and helping FareShare Sussex & Surrey through food packing and distribution. These are not isolated moments. They are part of a wider commitment to do business responsibly and to play an active role in the communities around us.

Creating impact through long-term partnerships

Some of the most meaningful work we have been involved in has come through long-term partnerships.

A great example is our support for Charlton Athletic Community Trust. Rivervale has worked alongside CACT for many years, supplying vehicles that support practical outreach in the community. That has included a fully maintained minibus, specialist outreach vans, and vehicles that helped deliver food to vulnerable families during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

What makes that partnership so powerful is the real-world impact behind it. The vehicles are not just assets. They help people access support, stay connected, and benefit from services that can genuinely change lives. From youth engagement work to food delivery and wider outreach, it shows how the right business support can go far beyond the obvious and become part of something much more meaningful.

Those are the kinds of stories we are proudest of because they say a lot about what Rivervale stands for.

Backing words with action

As conversations around sustainability and responsibility have become louder, businesses are rightly expected to show substance behind what they say.

At Rivervale, that is something we take seriously. Our ESG work is not about box-ticking. It is about making considered choices, being transparent about what we are doing, and continuing to improve. Achieving Ethy verification was an important step in that journey because it helped validate our efforts and hold us to account.

For us, trust has always mattered. Whether that is in the way we support our customers, the way we work with partners, or the way we contribute to our communities, we know that actions count more than claims.

Proud of the journey, excited for what comes next

As Sussex Business Times reaches its 500th edition, this feels like the perfect moment to reflect and say thank you.

Thank you to Sam, Jackie and the wider team for continuing to champion Sussex businesses in a way that feels warm, human and authentic. Thank you for creating spaces where stories can be shared, connections can be made, and businesses of all sizes can feel part of something bigger.

Rivervale is proud of how far it has come. Proud of the growth. Proud of the community impact. Proud of the partnerships. And proud that Sussex Business Times and County Business Clubs have been part of that journey along the way.

We are excited about what comes next, and grateful to be telling that story alongside a publication that has done so much to celebrate business in Sussex.

www.rivervale.co.uk