Manor Royal BID People Conference 2026

Manor Royal businesses came together at Crawley Town Football Club on Thursday 24 September for the Manor Royal BID People Conference 2026, focusing on the challenges and opportunities around attracting, recruiting and developing talent.

The free event, organised by Manor Royal Business Improvement District (BID), brought together business representatives and experts from education, recruitment, charities and the Department for Work and Pensions to share ideas, experiences and practical advice on some of the most important workforce issues facing employers.

Under the theme “Talent, Recruitment, Development & Recycling”, the conference explored the latest challenges facing businesses with a particular focus on rising youth unemployment and how companies across the business district might collaborate to prepare local people for building a career at one of the many excellent companies in Manor Royal.

A key part of the morning was an interactive “Question Time” style panel discussion, which considered the realities of recruitment and talent development from the perspectives of business, education and recruiters. Delegates were encouraged to contribute their own experiences and insights, with discussion also focusing on how businesses can help inspire and support the next generation.

Feedback from the event will be used to design a project focussed on the unique needs of local young people and the appetite of Manor Royal companies to become involved either as mentors, providers of work challenges or of entry level work. A project team made up of members of the panel and others has already been established to explore the opportunities and to respond to the ideas discussed.

Hit Your Goals at Half-Time

The conference also saw the launch of ‘Hit Your Goals at Half-Time’, a new collaboration between Manor Royal BID and Crawley Town Football Club. The initiative will introduce an exciting half-time challenge at the club, giving supporters the opportunity to win prizes while providing Manor Royal companies with another way to promote their businesses and engage with the local community.

Manor Royal Recognition Awards return in 2027

It was also announced that the Manor Royal Recognition Awards will return in 2027.

Following the inaugural awards, the event will once again celebrate the businesses and people making a positive contribution across the Manor Royal Business District and the wider community.

Details of next year’s award categories are already available online with further details to be revealed at the Manor Royal Matters Conference in November.

Helen McLaren, Engagement and Events Manager at Manor Royal BID, said:

“The People Conference is designed to be useful, interactive and relevant to the businesses we represent. Bringing employers together with people from education, recruitment and employment support creates an opportunity to make connections that can continue long after the event itself.

“It was also great to use the conference to launch Hit Your Goals at Half-Time and announce the return of the Manor Royal Recognition Awards. Both initiatives are about celebrating and promoting the fantastic businesses and people we have here in Manor Royal and finding new ways for them to connect with the wider community.”

The People Conference forms part of Manor Royal BID’s wider programme of events, projects and business support designed to help Manor Royal companies connect, collaborate and benefit from being part of one of the South East’s largest business districts.

www.manorroyal.org/events