Catching up with Emma Carter, President of Bristol Junior Chamber

Founded in 1948, Bristol Junior Chamber(BJC) has been a fixture around Bristol Chambers of Commerce for over 75 years now and is responsible for several Bristol favourites, like the Balloon Fiesta. We recently caught up with Emma Carter, the President of BJC for 2024-25, to talk about her role as President and also the Junior Chamber's membership in the Bristol Initiative.

Tell us about your role – what do you have responsibility for? What does a typical day look like? 

I’m the 2024-2025 President of Bristol Junior Chamber (BJC), a social networking organisation for young professionals in Bristol, representing the city’s future leaders. BJC is run by members for members, so my role is voluntary alongside the 14 other members of the Council of Management.

During my year as President, I essentially set the strategic direction for Bristol Junior Chamber; I have chosen to focus on building connections and the community we have as an organisation – whether this is with fellow members, with our wonderful city, with our alumni members (fondly known as 39’ers) peer organisations, or with charities. As a Council of Management, we make sure BJC is welcoming and inclusive and that we have a diverse calendar of events that appeals to our wide variety of members,

I also have the fantastic opportunity of representing the young professionals' views with key stakeholders such as with Business West’s Bristol Advisory Committee. 

In my day job, I work for the national air ambulance charity – Air Ambulances UK (AAUK) as Head of Income Generation. As an organisation we support the lifesaving work of the UK’s 21 air ambulance charities, enabling them to save even more lives every day. I am responsible for the team that delivers national partnerships and fundraising, membership benefits and events such as the Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence. Our fundraising is focused on working with national partners that the local air ambulances can’t access such as Kwik Fit, Ageas and Virgin Red. The money is then invested in the local air ambulance charities such as Great Western Air Ambulance Charity which is Bristol’s air ambulance. 

What does your organisation do? Why do you like working for them? 

BJC has been the leading social networking organisation for young professionals in the city since its inception in 1948 and has been pivotal in the creation of a number of landmark events on the Bristol calendar, including the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.

Officially BJC was established as a membership organisation for young professionals that promoted and supported trade, commerce and industry within Bristol which included supporting the agenda of Business West and the Bristol Chamber of Commerce. This is still true today, with our events helping to develop members' professional and social skills as well as growing their network and having lots of fun!

We have a membership of over 130 young professionals across a wide- range of industries including law, property, charity, marketing and finance. We define a young professional as anyone under forty and professionally they can work at  any level within an organisation; we have members working in junior roles right up to Director level. 

I am incredibly proud to be President of BJC – if you had told me when I first joined, I would eventually end up as President I wouldn’t have believed you! It’s been a brilliant way to meet people both socially (most of my friends within Bristol are also members) and professionally but also, it’s allowed me to get involved in so many different opportunities including our annual exchange programme with the Wirstschaftsjunioren Hanseraum (Hannover Junior Chamber) which takes place next week!  

To give you a flavour of what our calendar looks like so far this year (I became President in April) we have held rounders and cricket matches, tours of the Bristol Hippodrome and Thatcher’s Cider, a Eurovision evening, a general election hustings with Business West, CPR and AED training with Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, a wine tasting evening with wine club and we recently marched in the Pride parade. We also have a club to cater for most interests: walking club, cycling club, running club, book club, wine club and film club! There are events on most weeks! 

Our speakers have included Ben Hardy, Director of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta and a former BJC President, Mark Kelly, CEO of Ashton Gate, and Bryony Roberts, Director of Content for We the Curious.  

Why have you joined the Bristol Initiative?

It is fantastic to be able to represent the city’s future leaders and young professionals at the Bristol Initiative events; I have enjoyed learning more about the city through the different speakers and the discussions sparked with members as a result of their presentations. It was brilliant to hear from Cllr Tony Dyer at the last meeting following his appointment as Leader of Bristol City Council and the adoption of the committee model – it is certainly an interesting period for the city! 

I wouldn’t be doing my role very well if I didn’t use this as an opportunity to promote membership of BJC! If you are looking for development opportunities for your junior staff members, BJC is a great investment. By joining BJC our members develop professionally and personally, can access a wide variety of different networking opportunities with fellow members, our alumni group and other peer organisations and can explore and experience events and activities exclusive to the BJC. 

I’m happy to meet anyone for a coffee to answer any questions about BJC membership – there are also lots of our alumni members who are also Bristol Initiative Members and are always happy to promote BJC and share why it was valuable for their personal and professional development. 

Where is your favourite place to visit in Bristol?

This is such a hard question!

I absolutely love the city, its diverse communities and the fact that we have such a strong independent culture (in particular the food scene – we are spoilt for choice with all the fantastic independent eateries). 

My favourite place has to be the harbour though, I will never tire of its views!  I love seeing the coloured houses when you walk over Vauxhall Bridge – they fill me with so much joy (I live in Southville so I’m really missing the bridge being open) and anywhere with boats and water will always be my happy place! Whether I have had a stressful day, want to soak up the summer sunshine or simply go for a walk/run – the harbour is always my go to!