Beyond Boarders – Branch Collaborations

Beyond Borders: The Power of Inter-Branch Collaboration

Last year, we set out to create something bold: three regional Interact lunches – in the North, Midlands, and South. The goal was simple, to bring members together across their regions, foster fresh connections, and amplify value beyond the local; but despite genuine effort, the events didn’t land due to lack of attendance. None of them went ahead, and that was telling.

At this year’s AGM, we shifted our approach, not because the idea was wrong, but because it needed reframing.

A few weeks ago National President, Graham Place and Operations Director, Gina Oliver were invite to an established Bath and Bristol joint lunch, where they were able to experience that new ambition coming to life. No guests. No marketing. Just two branches, sitting down together for a shared members-only conversation, and it worked!

It felt meaningful, easy and authentic. Something worth learning from and replicating across our organisation.

A New Model: From Regions to Relationships

The failure of last year’s regional events wasn’t a failure of ambition. It was a reminder that geography doesn’t equal community.

Every Interact branch has its own personality, shaped by its city, its sector mix and it’s people. A one-size regional model ignores that. But branch-to-branch collaboration? That’s where the power lies. Simple, specific, and flexible.

We’ve already seen examples:

• Humberside and Lincoln linking up at the Lincolnshire Show
• Manchester and Liverpool travelling up the West Coast together to the races
• Bath and Bristol, with a no-fuss joint lunch

These aren’t grand strategies. They’re local acts of collaboration and they’re working!

A Changing Industry Needs a Changing Network

It wasn’t long ago that most construction and property professionals worked close to home. The network you needed was your local one. But the industry has changed and supply chains are now national. Client teams are spread across regions. Projects pull teams from multiple locations.

Your relationships need to be as fluid as your work.

That’s why cross-branch engagement matters now more than ever. Not for it’s own sake, but because it reflects how business is actually done. You might be based in Nottingham, but your next JV partner might be in Birmingham, Bath or Edinburgh.

The Deeper Benefits of Collaboration

When branches collaborate, members benefit in ways that go far beyond the event:

• You hear new perspectives – even a familiar topic feels different when shared across regions.
• You strengthen weak ties – the people you know slightly are often the ones who open doors unexpectedly.
• You reinforce national identity – collaboration is proof that Interact is more than just a collection of local groups.

And here’s the deeper truth: collaborating branches don’t dilute their identity – they deepen it. By seeing their group in conversation with another, members are reminded of what makes their branch unique. Contrast builds clarity.

What We’ve Learned:

After a year of effort, what we’ve learned is this: start small, but start deliberately.

You don’t need a budget. You don’t need a venue with flowers on the table. You just need another branch, a shared date, and a reason to talk. Host a member-only lunch, Invite a speaker, visit a site together. Because the magic isn’t in the size – it’s in the quality of the connection.

A Quiet Challenge for Branch Chairs

Want to strengthen your branch this year? Collaborate.

1. Reach out to a neighbouring branch.
2. Propose one idea – a lunch, a forum, a joint guest event.
3. Keep it simple – focus on people, not production.

And if every Chair did that just once? We’d move from a national organisation with local energy…
…to a local network with national power.

Let’s build it – together