16/06/2026
There's a kind of networking that looks nothing like networking.
This week, we took our Digitising the High Street community over to -Sunderland for an evening of wall climbing, boat rides, dolphins, and a whole lot of laughter.
But more than any of that, it was an evening of people stepping outside their comfort zones.
We watched people tackle personal challenges, cheer each other on, celebrate small wins, and make new connections. New friendships formed. Confidence grew. And people left feeling part of something bigger than themselves.
People told us they loved it. So different. Just what they needed
And that's the bit that never quite fits on a spreadsheet.
Because business doesn't always have to be about growth in numbers.
Sometimes it's growth in confidence. Growth in friendships. Growth in community.
There's something about an evening like this that builds real trust.
When you're hanging from the top of a wall, and you barely know the people at the bottom keeping you safe, you find out pretty quickly what a community actually feels like.
That's exactly what we're trying to build for small businesses across the region.
Because too many people are doing this alone, and they really don't have to be. The community is already out there. Sometimes it just needs a room, a climbing wall, and a few dolphins to bring it together.
If you'd like to know more about what we do, sign up to our newsletter on our website.
Delivered as part of Digitising the High Street with Enterprising Sunderland, funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority through its Integrated Settlement.
