A Kingston networking group has earned nearly £1million of business in just one year by meeting every week.

Members of BNI Kingston, who gather every Wednesday morning at Malden Golf Club, have tracked all the referrals made since April 2017, and are now celebrating their success.

They say it proves the value of face-to-face contact – they can trust the other members and their recommendations, and know they are trusted enough to be recommended themselves.

Performance sports coach Steve Cooper said: “In a world where almost everyone has unlimited access to information and each other, the quality of the information and how it’s imparted is key.

“A performance coach or trainer in any field needs to be relatable and invested, and I don’t believe anything other than face-to-face meetings can really show that.”

Longstanding member Chris Poore, of Kingston Mortgage Services, said he has even used the group for hiring.

He stood up, read out the job descriptions and was handed the CVs of two people who would go on to become current members of his staff.

Lesley Muir, PR consultant and group member, said: “Working solo can be isolating, even in a people-facing industry like PR, so being part of a group like this gives me an invaluable support network of professionals who can provide business advice and mentoring, as well as put me forward for potential projects with recommendations.”

The group celebrated with a special visitors’ day on Wednesday, March 21, with representatives from about 40 new businesses attending.